


Unexpected but not Unwanted

by Jellybean96



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, Family, Friendship, Pregnancy, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-06-04 05:56:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 86,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6644074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jellybean96/pseuds/Jellybean96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The two-minute alarm on her cell phone reverberates off of the bathroom walls, pulling her out of her thoughts. She steps towards the counter, reaches out a shaking hand and grabs each of the four thin white plastic sticks, flipping them over one by one. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes as those two pink lines on each stick mock her."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey babes! I have a brand new story for all of you that I'm really excited to share. I honestly don't really know where this idea came from, it just popped into my head one day and I had to get it all down. I've been working on this for a while now and I didn't want to post anything until I had it all written out so I could make sure my timeline was correct.
> 
> Anyway, in regards to the timeline of the show, basically season 3 doesn't happen with Hive and all that nonsense. There's still the Secret Warriors initiative, but no Hive and Malick and things like that. Also, at the end of season 2, instead of trying to get revenge on SHIELD and Bobbi, Ward and Kara leave SHIELD alone and go do their own thing. Everything else happens except for Bobbi being tortured and Kara dying and stuff.
> 
> This story basically starts about a year-ish after season 2 ends, so July of 2016, making Skye 28, just in case anybody wants to know things like that.
> 
> And characters will be added in the tags as they appear in the story, in case anyone was curious.

_***July*** _

The two-minute alarm on her cell phone reverberates off of the bathroom walls, pulling her out of her thoughts. She steps towards the counter, reaches out a shaking hand and grabs each of the four thin white plastic sticks, flipping them over one by one. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes as those two pink lines on each stick mock her.  
Lifting her head, she stares down her reflection in the mirror in front of her, her thoughts taking her back to that fateful night a month ago.

_Making her way down the dingy motel hallway, she peers over her shoulder to make sure no one is following her. She looks back in front of her and continues her way down the hall, eyes darting back and forth, searching for the correct room._

_Once she finds it, she stands in front of the door and quickly slides the room key through the lock. She twists the handle and pushes the door open, stepping foot into the dim light coming from the lamp on the other side of the room._

_She barely has time to shut the door before a warm set of lips are attacking hers and two calloused hands are gripping at her hips, pulling the hem of her shirt free from its place tucked into the waistband of her jeans._

_She reacts instantly, dropping the key card to the floor and letting her hands tangle in the man's short dark hair, tugging him closer._

_He uses his body to push hers square against the door, trailing hot kisses down her neck, using his hands to start unbuttoning her shirt._

" _You seem stressed," he presses a kiss to the valley between her breasts._

_She shudders at the warmth against her skin. She grabs hold of his head and pulls his lips back up to hers, sucking his bottom lip between her teeth. "Bed," she says against his lips._

_Without a second thought, he grabs her hips tightly in his hands and lifts her up, allowing her to wrap her legs tightly around his waist._

_Their lips remain locked as he carries her over to the bed, dropping her down on her back onto the cheap mattress._

_Reaching behind his body, he pulls his t-shirt off over his head, tossing it to the floor behind him._

_His eyes darken as he watches her unbutton her shirt the rest of the way and pull it off, tossing it to the floor beside the bed._

_"We don't have a whole lot of time," she reminds him, pulling him out of his thoughts._

_A small smirk forming on his lips, he crawls onto the bed, leaving a trail of hot kisses up her body before finally capturing her lips in his once again._

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she wipes at her eyes to keep the tears from falling and takes a few deep and calming breaths.

Picking all of the tests up off of the counter, she wraps them up in toilet paper before shoving them down to the bottom of the half full trashcan.

Turning around, she opens the door to the bathroom and steps out into the hallway, pulling her cell phone out of her back pocket. She opens the secure shell program she installed many months before and creates a new text message to the only number in the program _We need to talk. It's important. Meet me at the motel._

She locks her phone and slides it back into her pocket as she makes her way down the long corridor towards Coulson's office.

Once she reaches the office, she lifts a fist to knock on the door.

"Come in."

Taking another deep breath, she pushes open the door and steps inside, shutting the door behind her.

Coulson looks up from his desk and gives her a tiny smile, "Skye, what can I do for you?"

She steps towards his desk, wringing her hands together nervously, "I, um, I actually just wanted to let you know that I'm going out and I'll be gone for a while. I have a friend that needs some help with something so I'm going to meet up with him in town."

"What friend?" he asks her, his brows furrowing.

"You don't know him," she replies without hesitation. "We were friends back at the orphanage and we got back in touch just a few months ago. He asked me for some help, so I'm going to go help him out."

Coulson nods his head, "Alright. Try not to be gone too long."

She nods, "Got it. Thanks." She turns and makes her way out of the office, taking a few steps away from the door and leaning against one of the walls.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she pulls it out and unlocks it to see a new message in the shell program. She opens it up and reads over the text **Currently in the middle of something. I'll meet you there in a couple hours.**

_Good. I'm getting ready to leave right now. I'll wait for you there._

Sliding her phone back into her pocket, she pushes off of the wall and makes her way towards the garage.

* * *

Pacing back and forth across the carpet in the motel room with her arms crossed in front of her chest, Skye worries her bottom lip between her teeth.

She whips around when she hears the door opening. The man steps through and shuts the door tightly, letting out a huff of air.

"Alright," he says, sliding his brown leather jacket off and tossing it across a nearby chair, "I don't have a whole lot of time right now. But then again, that's never really been a problem for us," he smirks. He steps towards her and grabs her hips in his hands, pressing a kiss to her neck as he begins tugging her shirt out of her pants.

"Wait, stop. I have to tell you something," she says, her hands pushing on his shoulders.

"Tell me after," he responds, pulling away briefly before peppering kisses on her skin again.

"No, Ward, I have to te—I'm pregnant."

He stops kissing her neck and takes a step back, a blank look on his face. "What? You're...you're pregnant? Are you sure?"

She nods her head, "Yeah. And it's yours, obviously."

He breathes in deeply and runs a hand down his face. He looks at her, "Does anyone else know?"

She shakes her head. "I just found out before I came over here. But uh, but I don't think anyone else should find out."

He furrows his brows, "Why not?"

"Well, first of all, no one actually knows that we've been meeting up periodically for the last few months, let alone what we've been doing _when_ we meet up. Second of all, almost everyone in SHIELD still hates you to some degree. I really don't think it'd go over too well if they found out I'm pregnant, let alone pregnant with your kid."

He nods his head, "Yeah, you're right. So uh, what do you want to do? Whatever you decide, I'll support you a hundred percent. There are a couple of different options, I think, for what to do next," he tells her. "Um, I guess you can think them all over and then when you—"

"I want to keep it."

He stares at her, "You want to what?"

"I want to keep it," she repeats, looking him straight in the eyes. She places both her hands on her still flat stomach, "I may have just barely found out about this baby, but I know that I want to keep it."

"Are you sure you want to?" he asks her.

She nods her head, "Definitely. There's no way I could get rid of this baby, that's not even an option here. And there's no way I'd risk having it go through what I went through growing up in the system. So I'm going to keep it."

"Okay." He shifts on his feet, "Um, can...am I allowed to be involved? Or I am just expected to leave you alone now and never speak to you again? I mean, it's not like we're actually together."

She looks at him for a moment before speaking, "I was actually thinking about all of that on the way over here and then while I was waiting for you. Even though we aren't really together, I think it'd be a good idea for you to be a part of this baby's life. And I want it to live with you...full time."

His breath hitches, "You...you want the baby to stay with me? Are you sure? I've never really been the paternal type."

She nods her head, "Yeah, I'm sure."

"You aren't afraid I'm going to corrupt the kid and implant ideas of world domination into its head?"

She shakes her head. "I trust you," she tells him.

He swallows thickly. "Okay, um, one of my safe houses is pretty close by; it's actually where I've been staying recently. It's not a huge place, but it's a decent enough size, I think, with a pretty good sized backyard so the kid can play out there when it's old enough. And I have plenty of money set aside so we don't have to worry about any of that right now."

She nods, "Good. And um, in about a month I'm going to come and stay with you, only until about a month after the baby is born. Then I'm going to go back to the base but I'll come by and visit the baby every once in a while."

He furrows his brows, "You aren't going to stay on the base while you're pregnant?"

She shakes her head, "No. I don't want anyone finding out about this, remember?"

He nods, "Right, okay. So I guess I'll just text you the address of my place and then once you're ready, you can come by."

She nods, "Yeah, okay. Sounds like a plan."

"Alright. So I guess I'll go and make sure things are ready for when you show up." He steps over to the chair and picks up his jacket, pulling it back on. He reaches for the doorknob and pulls the door open, stepping into the doorway. He looks over his shoulder at her and gives her a small smile, "And Skye, I know you probably still hate to some degree, but uh, I'm really looking forward to raising this baby with you."

"So am I," she gives him a small smile as well.

He nods his head once and then steps out into the hallway, closing the door tightly behind him.

* * *

_***August*** _

"Going somewhere?"

Looking up from her duffel bag, Skye sees Lincoln standing in the doorway to her bunk. "Lincoln, hey," she gives him a tight smile. "What's up?" she turns back to her bag and continues packing it with different clothing items.

The Inhuman steps inside the room, "I was just walking by and saw you packing. Do we have a mission or something that you haven't told us about yet?"

She shakes her head, "No, I'm just taking some personal time off. I should be back in a few months." She zips up her bag and stands up straight, turning to face Lincoln, "Until I get back you and Mack are in charge of the team. Make sure everyone keeps up with their training and take them out every once in a while so they can all get some experience in the field, even if there's no action out there."

He nods his head, "Yeah, sure. And um, Skye," he steps forward, "I want you to know that I—"

"Lincoln, don't. Please."

He shakes his head, "Don't worry. I just want to say that even though things didn't work out between us for whatever reason, I really care about you. And you can always talk to me about anything."

She gives him a small smile, "Thank you, I really appreciate that. But there's nothing you can do about this, I promise. I'm just taking some long overdue vacation days. I'll be back soon."

He nods his head, "Okay. Have a safe trip, then."

"Thank you." She turns and picks up her bag, hoisting it up onto her shoulder as she makes her way out of her bunk, "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah," he smiles.

Skye gives him one last smile before making her way down the hallway. She pulls her phone out and opens up the shell program to shoot off a quick text _I'm leaving now. Should be there in a couple hours._

**Okay. Spare key is inside the hat of the gnome sitting in the front yard.**

_A gnome? Really, Ward?_

**It came with the house. Figured it'd be easier to just leave it there instead of wasting time trying to figure out what to do with it.**

_Alright, whatever your say. See you in a bit._

**Yeah, see you.**

Sliding her phone into her pocket, she opens the back door of one of the SUV's and tosses her bag inside. She shuts that door and then climbs inside the driver's side, turns over the ignition, and pulls out of the garage.

* * *

"Hello?" Skye calls into the house as she steps through the front door. "Ward?"

"Back here."

Skye drops her bag in the living room, setting her keys down on top of it, and continues her way through the house.

When she reaches the kitchen she finds Ward standing at the counter, making himself a sandwich.

"Hey," she says to him with a small smile.

He looks up at her and smiles, "Skye, hey. How was the drive over?"

"It was alright," she leans up against the counter.

"And how are you feeling?" he asks, gesturing with his head to her stomach.

Skye leans back and places a hand on her stomach, looking down at it, "Pretty okay." She looks back up at him, "I've only thrown up a few times while at the base. But I managed to just play it off as food poisoning or something like that." She leans forward against the counter, resting her forearms on top of it, "What are you making?"

"Just some lunch," he replies. "Do you want anything?"

She shakes her head, "No, I'm okay. I got some food on my way over."

"Was it junk food?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

She shrugs, "Maybe. Why does it matter?"

"You're pregnant, Skye. You really should start watching what you eat."

She rolls her eyes, "I'm fine, so stop worrying."

"You're carrying my child, Skye; I'm not going to stop worrying until that baby arrives. Plus, you know how I feel about you," he adds offhandedly while looking back to his food.

She nods her head, "Yeah, I know." She takes a deep breath, "So, where's the bedroom?"

He looks up at her, "Down the hallway on the right. I figured you can take that room and then we can turn the other one into the nursery."

"Where are you going to sleep?" she asks him with furrowed brows.

He shrugs, "I'll just take the couch whenever you're here. And then I'll use the bedroom when you go back to the base."

She raises an eyebrow, "So for the next eight months you plan on sleeping on the couch every night?"

He shrugs again, "It's no big deal. I've had worse sleeping arrangements."

She nods, "I know. Which is why we're going to share one bedroom, and the other one will be turned into the nursery."

"Skye, I don't—"

"Relax, Ward. It's not that big of a deal. We've already seen each other naked, had sex, and you got me pregnant. I think sharing a bedroom for eight months, and then a few days at a time every few months, is the least of our worries right now."

He nods, "You're right. I'm sorry."

She gives him a small smile, "Don't be. Now, I am going to go unpack and then take a bath because I definitely need to relax right now. Running a team of Inhumans is not an easy feat."

"I can only imagine," he chuckles.

* * *

"It's been almost two full weeks since you left, I'm surprised no one has checked in with you yet," Ward says to Skye as he makes his way into the bedroom to get ready for bed.

Skye looks up at him from her place sitting up in the bed, her tablet propped up against her knees, "I'm honestly kind of a little surprised about that too. I was expecting somebody to have at least texted me by now to see if I'm okay. Especially Coulson or Lincoln."

"Who's Lincoln?" Ward asks, standing in the doorway of the closet, reaching into it to pull out a pair of sweats. "Wait, isn't he that guy that was with us when Coulson asked me to help rescue you?"

Skye nods, "Yeah. He's also an Inhuman on my team," she tells him. "We kind of had this…thing for a little while. It didn't last very long though; I broke it off before it ever really had the chance to go anywhere."

"Really?" he asks, removing his jeans and tossing them in the hamper. "How come?" He reaches for his sweats and pulls them on.

She shrugs, looking back down at her tablet, "No reason."

Ward shakes his head as he adjusts the sweats on his body and turns towards her, "No, I don't believe that for a minute. I think sometimes you forget how well I actually know you, Skye. If you ended things with this Lincoln guy, then there had to have been an actual reason for it."

Skye sighs and looks up at him, "It's because my heart wasn't fully in that relationship. I didn't tell him that though, I didn't actually give him a real, solid reason, because I know he would have told me that I just had to give it time. But I knew pretty early on that I'd never fully be able to give my heart to him. Not when part of it had already been taken by someone else," she looks down again.

"And who would this someone else be?"

She looks up to see him with a small smirk on his face. She gives a tiny smile and rolls her eyes, "Shut up."

He chuckles and moves towards the bed, sitting down on the edge of it next to her, "No, I think I like the fact that you couldn't be with him because deep down you love me," he smiles and leans closer to her.

"Whoa, I never said anything about love," she tells him sternly, pushing on his chest. "We are definitely not at that point right now; at least, I'm not. I just know for a fact that I couldn't fully commit to a relationship with Lincoln when I technically wasn't completely over you. And Lincoln's a really sweet guy; I couldn't do that to him."

Ward puts his hands in the air, "Hey, you don't hear me complaining about any of this." He puts his hands back down and smiles, "I mean, after all, you're having _my_ baby and not this Lincoln guy's baby."

Skye smiles, placing a hand over her stomach, "That's right. And this baby is going to be very loved by the both of us."

"Most definitely," Grant smiles. "I'm promising you right now, Skye, that I'm going to do right by you and this baby. And I'm going to try my hardest to be a better parent than mine ever were."

"Well I'd say you're already off to a great start," Skye tells him.

He furrows his brows, "Really? Why?"

She smiles softly at him and reaches out to place her hand over his, "Because you're here and you care."

He smiles back, "And that's how it's always going to be."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! First of all, thank you so so much for all the love on this story. I've been really excited about sharing this one with you so your kudo, subscriptions, and reviews really mean a lot. :)
> 
> Now I'm back with a new chapter for ya. Hope you enjoy it! :)

_***September*** _

"Hey Skye," Ward speaks up as he steps into the open doorway between the dining room and the living room, leaning against the frame, "um, I have kind of an important question I need to ask you. Well, I guess it's more like two important questions. But they're important, is what I'm getting at."

Skye looks up at him from where she's lying on the couch, her tablet propped up against her knees, "I'm all ears."

Ward pushes off of the wall and moves over to the couch, sitting down on the edge of it and turning so he can look at Skye, "Well, I'm just curious about whether or not you're planning on telling the baby at any point about you being an Inhuman? I know it's probably one of the furthest things from your thoughts right now, but I was just wondering."

Skye furrows her brows in thought, "Um, I don't know. Like you said, I hadn't really thought about it all that much. But maybe that's something we should decide together." She shifts on the couch so she's in more of a sitting position, "How do you feel about the baby knowing that I'm an Inhuman?"

"Honestly? I don't think I really mind it either way. I mean, I don't think we should tell them about your team, because we both agreed to keep the baby away from anything and everything related to SHIELD. But I don't think it would be the worst thing to tell them about Inhumans once they're old enough. Because it _is_ a part of their history. Also, they'll most likely hear about them eventually because literally everyone in the world knows about Inhumans. Of course, we don't have to tell them that you're an Inhuman if it's something you aren't comfortable with doing."

Skye takes a deep breath, "I think...we should just see what happens. I think we should take each day as it comes and decide when and if we want to tell them about me. Does that sound good to you?"

Grant nods, "Yeah, I think that sounds doable."

"Good," Skye nods once. "So what was the other thing?"

"What?"

"You said you had two important questions for me," she reminds him.

"Oh, right, my other question." He takes a deep breath, "Is our baby going to be an Inhuman?"

Skye's silent for a minute as she thinks over his question. Then she opens her mouth to speak, "Well, my mom's Inhuman but my dad isn't, and since it's the same with us, I'd assume that our baby will at least have the Inhuman gene within their DNA."

"Would they have any abilities at birth, though?" he asks.

Skye shakes her head, "No, that's not really how it works. Even though my abilities have manifested, and they'd probably get the gene from me, I'm pretty sure that they'd still have to go through Terrigenesis to get their powers, just like I and all the others had to do."

He nods, "Oh, okay. I was just getting curious. After you told me you were pregnant it got me thinking about all of that."

She nods her head, "I get it. And I know what you're probably going to ask next, but I don't think we have to worry too much about our baby accidentally going through Terrigenesis at any point in their life and developing some crazy powers that are too difficult to handle. As far as I know, there aren't any crystals left considering they all ended up at the bottom of the ocean courtesy of yours truly, and I don't plan on having to give our baby fish oil pills at any point either. Though, I don't think that can really be helped all too much, so I guess we just have to wait and see on that one."

He gives her a small smile, "Okay. Like I said, I was just curious."

"Well you don't have to worry," she smiles at him. "Because as far as I know, I'm the only Inhuman that you have to deal with."

He smiles back, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

"Skye, I'm heading out to the store to get a few things, do you need me to pick you up anything?" Grant asks her as he slips his shoes on and pulls on a light jacket.

Skye looks up at him, "No thanks, I'm good."

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" he asks.

Skye rolls her eyes, "I promise you don't I don't need anything."

"Alright. I shouldn't be gone too long," he tells her.

"Take your time," she replies, looking back down at her tablet. "I'm fine here with my tablet to keep me company."

"Okay. See you in a bit."

"Yeah, bye," she waves at him over her shoulder, her eyes fixed on her tablet screen.

Once the door closes, Skye lets out a small sigh and shakes her head. "Your dad is such a worrier," she says offhandedly to her stomach. She lies her tablet down against her legs and focuses her attention on her belly, placing both hands on it, "I really hope you don't inherit that from him. Although, I guess it wouldn't be too bad for you to at least worry a little bit about things. Just not as much as he does. You get what I'm saying, little one?" She lifts her shirt and smiles to herself as she runs her hands across her skin.

"Although I do hope you get your daddy's smile," Skye says. "He's got a pretty nice smile, it's one of the things that made me fall for him; but don't tell him I said that," she smiles. "There are a lot of things I hope you get from us, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens as you grow up. However, there is one thing I'm going to make sure you get from me, my taste in music. Because for all I know, your dad likes the really boring stuff like classical music and jazz."

With a smile on her face, Skye lifts her tablet back up and quickly goes into her music app, going into the search bar for the song she wants to play.

She looks down at her stomach, "This is one of my favorite songs by an awesome group called Bon Jovi."

She hits the play button and the combination of drums and guitar comes through the speakers, soon followed by the lead vocals and she sings along.

_"How you spend your minutes are what matters. All tomorrows come from yesterdays. When you're feeling broke and bruised and sometimes shattered. Blow out the candles on the cake like everything's a big mistake. It seems you always wait for life to happen. And your last buck can't buy a lucky break. If all we've got is us then life's worth living. And if you're in, you know I'm in. I'm ready and I'm willing. I am. When you think that no one needs you, sees you or believes you, no one's there to understand. I am. I'll be there to be that someone, when you think that no one, is there to hold your hand. I am."_

She hits the pause button and runs a hand across her stomach, "Your daddy and I are always going to be here for you, no matter what. You can always count on the both of us, okay? I don't care if you never choose to go through the Mist when you're older; it's something that can affect your life more than you initially thought it would. Whatever you want to do with your life or whoever you want to be, I don't care. Because I am always, _always_ going to love you, my sweet, sweet baby."

* * *

_***October*** _

Skye bounces her leg nervously as she sits in one of the plastic waiting room chairs, Ward sitting in the chair right next to her. She has her hands resting on top of her barely there bump, biting her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Hey, you okay?" Ward asks her.

She turns her head towards him, "What? Oh, yeah. I'm good, just a little nervous. We're finding out what we're having today."

He nods his head, "I know. I think I'm actually _genuinely_ excited about this, which is something I didn't really think I could be again."

"I know the feeling."

"Skye Johnson?"

Skye looks up to see a nurse standing in the doorway leading to the back hallway. "That's me," she says.

The woman smiles, "Great. If you'll follow me back this way."

Skye stands up from her chair, reaching down to grab Grant's hand and pull him up out of his chair. She continues to hold onto his hand, linking their fingers together, as they make their way into one of the back rooms.

"The doctor will be right with you," the nurse tells them once they step inside the room.

"Thank you," Skye smiles politely at her. She turns around and climbs up onto the paper covered table in the room. Ward moves over and sits in one of the chairs against the wall.

Skye lets out a breath as she leans back on her hands.

A few minutes later, there's a soft knock at the door before it opens and the doctor steps through. "Miss Johnson, it's great to see you again," the doctor smiles at her.

"You too, Doctor Jones," Skye smiles at him. "And I'm pretty sure I've told you numerous times to call me Skye."

Doctor Jones nods, "Yes, of course. How are you feeling, Skye?"

"Feeling okay," Skye tells him. "Just excited to find out what this little one is going to be."

"Then let's get started so you can find out," Doctor Jones smiles. He sits down on his stool and scoots himself closer to the bedside. "If you'll go ahead and lie back," he tells Skye as he grabs the ultrasound machine and pulls it towards him, flipping the machine on.

He grabs the tube of gel from the holder and turns towards Skye, "This is going to be a little cold." He squeezes some of the gel onto Skye's stomach and then places the wand in it, moving it across her stomach to spread the gel around as he looks at the screen.

"I love hearing the heartbeat," Skye smiles.

"Me too," Ward says from his spot standing next to the bed.

"Your baby is doing very well," Doctor Jones tells them. "Developing right as they should be, everything looks perfect."

"That's great," Skye smiles. "So can you tell if it's a boy or a girl yet?" she asks him.

"One moment," he says, moving the wand around some more and leaning closer to the screen. "It looks like…" he smiles and sits back, looking over at Ward and Skye, "you're having a little girl."

"A girl?" Skye asks with happy tears shining in her eyes. She looks up at Ward, "We're having a girl, a little girl."

"Yeah," Ward whispers and nods his head, tears in his own eyes as he stares at the ultrasound screen. "I heard him. A little girl, we're having a daughter."

"Could I get a printout of this?" Skye asks the doctor.

"Of course," he smiles. "How many would you like?"

"Two," Skye replies, noticing how Ward can't stop staring at the image on the screen of the ultrasound machine. "I'd like two printouts, please."

* * *

"Was buying all of this candy really necessary?" Ward asks Skye as he watches her dump multiple bags of mixed candy into two large metal bowls.

She nods her head, "Absolutely. It's Halloween. Kids are going to come up to the house asking for candy, which we will gladly give to them because it is in the spirit of the holiday. I know that might be a little tough for your robot brain to comprehend, but try and keep up, Ward." She stands up straight and smiles at him.

"Despite what you might think, Skye, I do happen to understand the concept of Halloween. What I don't understand, is why you have _two_ large bowls full of candy."

"Isn't it obvious? One bowl is to give to the kids who come to the door while the other bowl is for me to eat while I watch Halloween movies all night on TV."

"It's probably not the best idea to eat all of that candy by yourself," he tells her.

Skye looks at him pointedly, "I've told you once, and I'll tell you again; I'm pregnant and probably always going to be hungry. So do not get in between me and food, no matter what kind of food it is. Because I can promise that it will not end well for you."

Ward sighs, "Fine. Just don't get sick, okay?"

"If I were to get sick there is no possible way you'd be able to know if it was from eating too much candy or simply because I'm pregnant," she smiles at him.

"Maybe not right away, but there are ways," he retorts.

Skye purses her lips, "Just shut up and keep an eye on the door. You're going to be answering it and giving out the candy to all the kids."

"But—"

"Don't even start with me right now, Grant Ward," she says, picking up one of the bowls of candy and carrying it over to the couch, "you're going to be a father soon and I don't think I've ever seen you interact with children since I met you." She sits down on the couch and pulls her legs up underneath of her, leaning back into the couch and grabbing the remote for the TV.

"What about Ace?"

She raises an eyebrow at him, "That was like two years ago. And you hardly even looked at him. So I don't think that really counts."

Before either of them can say anything, there's a knock at the door.

"Now go, give out candy," she tells him. "And don't be all robotic and mean to the kids. Try to be nice and friendly."

"Yes ma'am," he gives her a quick mock salute before grabbing the other bowl of candy and pulling open the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you all think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> They're having a little girl, guys. Pretty exciting, huh?
> 
> Also, working on a special project for Chloe and Brett. If you're interested, let me know.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Happy Mother's Day weekend. I was originally planning on updating this one tomorrow (Sunday) but I figured that I have some down time this morning at home (I surprised my mom), so I decided to update today.
> 
> Enjoy!

_***November*** _

Skye lets out a sigh as she makes her way back into the living room, resuming her place on the couch with her back against the arm rest and her legs up in Ward's lap. She takes the tablet he's holding out to her with a grateful smile and continues to browse different baby websites.

"Feel better?" Ward asks her once she's settled back in.

She nods, "Much. I love this baby so much already but one major downside to this pregnancy is my constant need to pee. It's completely ridiculous how often I get up to use the bathroom when all I really want to do is stay off of my feet and relax. Is that really too much to ask for?"

"Well I'm sure our daughter will be very grateful for your sacrifice once she gets here and is old enough to actually understand," Ward smiles.

"Oh she better be grateful," Skye says, her eyes glued to her tablet screen.

Grant just chuckles quietly and then turns his attention back to the local news playing out on the TV screen in front of him.

After a few minutes of watching the news, he looks over at Skye, "Hey, so, it's Thanksgiving tomorrow."

"Yeah, what about it?" Skye asks, not looking up.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to maybe celebrate it in any way. I'm not sure what you're used to doing on Thanksgiving so I thought I'd ask."

She looks up at him, "Well, when I was at the orphanage it didn't really consist of too much. We had a 'special' feast that the nuns made but it wasn't really much more than that. And after I left, I was on my own without a whole lot of money so, again, I didn't really do much to celebrate."

"Oh. Well, do you want to do anything to celebrate this year? I can cook us a turkey for dinner."

She furrows her brows at him, "You can cook?"

"You've been here for a few months now and you haven't figured out that I can cook?"

She shrugs, "Pregnancy brain, I forget things way too easily."

He nods his head, "Ah. So, do you want me to cook us a turkey?"

She shrugs, "If you really want to then I'm not going to stop you."

He gives a small smile and nods his head, "Okay, then I will. And let me just tell you right now that it is going to be the most amazing turkey you have ever tasted."

"I'm going to hold you to that," she tells him. "Your kid seems to have quite the appetite which means I will probably end up eating a good portion of the turkey, so it better taste amazing."

He chuckles, "It will, I promise."

* * *

"Remind me again what this is supposed to taste like," Skye says to Ward as he sets a piece of the freshly carved turkey onto her plate before handing it back to her.

"The best turkey you've ever had," he replies, setting a slice of turkey on his own plate.

"You seem pretty confident about this," she says, picking up her fork.

"I am _very_ confident about it," he smiles. "Now try it, I want to know what you think."

She takes a deep breath, "Alright, here goes nothing." She uses her fork to cut off a small piece of the turkey slice and lifts it to her mouth. "Wow," Skye says after she swallows the bit the turkey, "you were right. This turkey tastes absolutely incredible."

"I'm really glad you think so," Ward smiles at her from the other end of the table. "It's actually my Gramsy's recipe."

"It is?" she asks, scooping up some mashed potatoes.

He nods his head, "Mm-hmm. She's the one who taught me everything I know about cooking. I'd always help her out in the kitchen making our meals or batches of treats whenever I went over to her house."

"You're sounding awful sentimental there, Ward," Skye tells him. Then she smiles softly, "I think I might actually like it. If this is the real you, then I can't wait to meet the rest of him."

Ward smiles back at her, "I can't wait either."

"Whoa," Skye says, jumping slightly in her seat, her hands moving to rest on her belly.

"What is it?" Ward asks, his voice instantly filling with concern. "Is it the baby? What's happening? Is something wrong with her?"

Skye shakes her head as she stares down at her stomach, "No, nothing's wrong. The baby's fine."

"Then what is it?" he asks, standing from his chair and moving over to kneel down in front of her. "Skye, please tell me what's happening."

She lifts her head to look at him with a smile on her face and tears shining in her eyes, "I think I just felt her kick. Like a real actual kick. Not just the small flutters I've been feeling for the past few weeks. This time it was actually a kick, right up against my insides."

"Really?" he asks.

She nods, "Mm-hmm." She jumps again slightly as another kick comes, "Wow. This is so crazy. It feels so weird."

"Can—can I..." he trails off, unsure of how to phrase his question.

Skye smiles at him and grabs one of his hands, "You don't need to ask." She places his hand on an area of her stomach, holding both of her hands on top of his.

"I don't feel anyth—" He's cut off by a sharp jab right up against his palm. He lets out a quiet gasp and then smiles. "Wow," he breathes out.

"I guess I'm not the only one excited for you two to meet," Skye smiles. She looks down at her stomach, "Are you excited to meet daddy, baby girl?"

Two kicks, one right after the other.

Ward lets out a small laugh, "Wow. This is so unbelievable."

"I know," Skye smiles. "This is way better than just the little flutters that were kind of hard to feel. Though, if this kid's kicks and punches are anything like yours, then I am definitely going to suffer."

"What?" he looks up at her with concern in his eyes and voice.

She smiles reassuringly, "Don't worry. It'll definitely be worth it once we get to hold her in our arms for the first time."

"Yeah," Ward smiles, "it definitely will be."

* * *

_***December*** _

"Hey Ward?" Skye calls into the kitchen from the living room where she lies on the couch browsing baby websites on her tablet. "Ward!"

"Yeah?" he calls back.

"Do we have a budget on stuff for the baby?"

He steps into the doorway to look at her, "Why are you asking?"

"Because I'm looking online at some possible furniture for the nursery and there are some really great products on these sites, but most of them are kind of pricey. So I'm just wondering how much I'm actually allowed to spend. Because I only want the absolute best for my baby girl."

"Well," he moves towards her and sits down on the couch and faces her, "first of all, I agree that we should only get the best for her. However, we won't be shopping online to get furniture for the nursery. We are going to go out and actually, _physically_ , look in stores for furniture as well as other things that she needs. It's the only way to ensure that our daughter has the best stuff that's actually safe and sturdy. Second of all, I wouldn't necessarily say there's a budget, but let's try not to buy anything too expensive. We can still get the best stuff without spending too much money."

"Do we really have to actually go out and look for things?" she asks him with a small frown. "Because if I walk around too much then my feet are really going to be killing me and you're the one who is going to pay for it by giving me a foot massage when we get back."

He chuckles and smiles, "I will gladly do that. You know I will."

She looks at him for a moment. "Fine," she relents with a sigh, "we'll actually _go_ _out_ and find things."

"Thank you," he says with a small nod as he stands up and moves back towards the kitchen.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop looking online," Skye calls after him, making him chuckle quietly as he goes back into the kitchen.

* * *

"It's Christmas Eve," Skye tells Ward as she leans back against him on the couch, watching as the fire crackles in the fireplace in front of them. Their hands are resting together on top of her stomach.

He nods his head from behind her, "Yes it is."

"You know, I never really had any good experiences with Christmas growing up," she tells him.

"Neither did I," he replies.

"But that's not going to happen to our kid," she says firmly. She turns her head to look up at him, "Promise me that we'll both do everything we can to make sure our daughter has a somewhat decent childhood."

He smiles and nods his head, "I promise. And next year it'll be her first Christmas, so we'll actually celebrate it and make everything extra special just for her. We can even go and get her picture taken with Santa if we want to. I think that's a thing people do."

"If I can even come down for Christmas," she says with a slight frown growing on her face.

"Skye, I have no doubt in my mind that you'll figure out a way to get off base so that you can come here and be able to spend the holiday with our daughter."

She smiles up at him, "Yeah, I will. There is not a single thing in this world that is going to keep me from spending time with my baby girl, especially on the holidays."

"I don't doubt that for a second," he smiles.

Skye turns around and leans back against his chest, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply.

They're both quiet for a moment before Skye opens her mouth and sings softly, her head bent down towards her stomach, _"The fireplace is burning bright, shining all on me. I see the presents underneath the good old Christmas tree. And I wait all night 'til Santa comes to wake me from my dreams. Oh, why? 'Cause that's Christmas to me."_

"I didn't know you could sing," Ward speaks up.

Skye shrugs, "I used to sing all the time around the orphanage. I don't sing a whole lot anymore, though."

"Well I think you should definitely sing more, especially to our daughter," Ward tells her. "You have a really nice voice."

Skye blushes slightly, "Thanks."

"You're welcome. What's that song you were just singing?" he asks her.

"Oh, um, it's just a song I heard on the radio at the beginning of the month. It's by this really popular acapella group called Pentatonix. I really liked the song when I heard it so I downloaded it and have been listening to it nonstop."

"Ah," Ward nods. "Well it sounded pretty nice with you singing it. Let me hear some more of it."

Skye takes a breath and then keeps singing softly to her stomach, leaning back further against Ward's chest, _"I see the children play outside, like angels in the snow. While mom and daddy share a kiss under the mistletoe. And we'll cherish all these simple things wherever we may be. Oh, why? 'Cause that's Christmas to me."_

A kick against their joined hands makes both adults smile.

"I see I'm not the only one who likes your singing," Ward says. "Keep going," he gently nudges her.

"Okay," Skye nods. She looks back down at her stomach and continues to sing, a smile still on her face, _"I've got this Christmas song in my heart; I've got the candles glowing in the dark."_

Two more sharp jabs to her abdomen have them both smiling wider.

_"I'm hanging all the stockings by the Christmas tree. Oh, why? 'Cause that's Christmas to me. Oh, why? 'Cause that's Christmas to me."_

* * *

Lifting his head off of his pillow, Ward carefully checks the other body in the bed to make sure she's still sound asleep and won't wake up anytime soon.

When he's satisfied that she won't wake up, he moves himself down on the bed so his face is level with her protruding stomach. He rests himself up on his elbow and then takes a deep breath before whispering, "Hey. So, um, this is kind of weird for me to be doing right now. I've never really done anything like this before but I read online somewhere that it's a good idea so that you can get to know my voice better, and I guess I was trying to work up the nerve to actually do this. I'm not sure if you can actually hear me in there, but uh, I just want you to know that I love you. I haven't met you yet but I know for a fact that I love you, just as much as I love your mom. You mean the world to me already and I promise you that when you get here I'm going to do everything I possibly can to make sure this world is safe for you to be a part of."

He swallows thickly, "I don't even know you yet but I already know that I don't know what I would do if anything were to ever happen to you; you or your mom. I never knew I wanted to be a dad until your mom told me about you. And then I saw your picture on the ultrasound when we found out you're a girl and it all just became so much more real. I can't wait to finally meet you so I can hold you in my arms and tell you how much I love you. Porque te amo tanto, mi hija. Y siempre lo haré."

Skye's body stirs against the sheets and Grant freezes.

"Ward?"

He turns his head to see her looking down at him through half-asleep eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asks him sleepily.

He gives her a small smile and shakes his head, "Nothing, go back to sleep."

"You're warm. Come back up here."

He chuckles quietly, "Okay. I'll be right there."

Skye nods her head and then closes her eyes again.

Ward turns back to her stomach, "Merry Christmas, baby girl. I'll see you soon."

He shifts on the bed again, moving back up to rest his head back on his pillow. As soon as he lies down, Skye moves on the bed and curls up against him, breathing in deeply as she falls back deep into her sleep.

Ward smiles and wraps an arm around her to hold her close, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head. He closes his eyes as he lets sleep overtake him again, "Merry Christmas, Skye."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)
> 
> *Because I love you so much, my daughter. And I always will*  
> There will be more Spanish throughout this story, but I will always put the translations down here.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back with a new one for ya. Thanks so much for all the love I've been getting on this story. Really means a lot. I think this is one of my favorites that I've written. So I'm glad you're all enjoying it.
> 
> And now for the story. Enjoy!

_***December/January*** _

"Midnight is almost here," Ward tells Skye as he enters the bedroom from the kitchen, carrying a champagne glass full of sparkling cider in each hand. "Here," he sits down next to her on the bed and holds out one glass, "it's sparkling cider."

Skye takes the glass from him and sighs, "I cannot wait for the day when I can finally drink wine or beer again to help myself relax."

Ward chuckles, "Well until then, you'll just have to stick to non-alcoholic beverages."

"I know. It totally sucks, but it's for the best."

He nods his head, "Yes it is. Can you believe we just have three months left until the baby gets here?"

"It's pretty crazy," Skye says, rubbing one hand over her protruding stomach. "But I can't wait for her to finally get here."

"Neither can I," Ward smiles at her.

"Oh, since we're getting down to the last few months, we really need to finish planning the color scheme for the nursery and actually get it all done."

"I thought we agreed on a neutral color," he says with furrowed brows.

"Maybe _you_ did, but I certainly didn't. Our daughter is not going to sleep in a room with neutral colors. Sorry, but no. She's going to have a room that is perfectly designed for her."

"Well we'll figure all of that out later. Right now let's just focus on celebrating the New Year, because I believe the countdown to 2017 has already begun."

Skye turns her attention towards the TV screen to see the large disco-type ball slowly dropping down as the large monitor in Times Square displays the countdown clock.

Once the ball reaches the roof of the tall building and the clock reaches zero, the entire scene on the television screen bursts into celebration.

Turning back to look at Ward, Skye waits until he brings his glass of cider back down and then leans forward to softly press her lips against his.

She pulls back to see him staring at her with a shocked look on his face.

"What was that for?" he asks her.

She gives him a small smile and shrugs, "It could just be my hormones in complete overdrive right now, but I figure, New Year equals new start, right?"

He furrows his brows, "New start?"

She nods, "Yeah, a new start to us. I've tried to deny my feelings for you, but I can't, especially because we're spending so much time together and I'm getting to see this whole new side of you that I didn't know even existed. And I mean, we're already having a kid together, why not try being an actual couple while we're at it. Maybe we'll actually manage to get things right this time around."

He smiles, "I think that sounds like an excellent idea."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Grant," she smiles.

He raises a brow, "Grant? What happened to Ward?"

She shrugs again, "Like I said, new start to us. Is it too weird?"

He shakes his head with a smile, "No, it's not weird. It's actually kind of refreshing."

"Good," she nods once. "Because I wasn't going to stop even if it was weird."

He chuckles, "Of course you wouldn't." He leans back down to gently press his lips against hers, smiling into the kiss.

* * *

"Morning," Skye yawns as she pads her way into the kitchen from the bedroom, still dressed in her pajamas; a pair of sweat pants and one of Grant's t-shirts, both of her hands resting on her lower back.

Grant looks up at her and smiles, "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

Skye shrugs as she slowly lowers herself down into one of the chairs at the kitchen table, "I guess so. It's kind of hard to sleep though sometimes when you have a human being growing inside of you. But other than that, I slept just fine."

"Okay then," Grant says and then turns back to the food in front of him.

Skye waits a few beats before opening her mouth again, "Hey, Grant?"

"Yeah?" he replies, not looking up.

"Um, happy birthday."

Grant stills for a moment and then looks up at her, "How-how did you…."

"Know that it's your birthday?" she finishes with a slightly raised eyebrow. He nods his head silently. She lets out a small laugh, "I am a very skilled hacker, Grant. I can find out anything I want. And I read your file back when we were still at SHIELD. I never said anything because you didn't seem like the kind who really wanted to celebrate their birthday."

"And I'm still not," he tells her seriously. "I don't associate my birthday with good memories, or any memories really, for that matter. The few memories I do have of my birthday are all of Gramsy but despite her best efforts, even she wasn't able to make my birthday a happy day most of the time."

Skye shrugs, "That doesn't mean we can't start trying to associate it with good memories now."

Grant sighs, "Skye, please, just drop this subject, okay?"

"I'm just trying to help you," she tells him. "I'm not saying that we have to throw a huge party or anything to celebrate. But it's your birthday; we should at least do something."

"Being here in this house with you, and eventually our baby, is all I need to have a good life. I don't care about my birthday, honest. It's just one day that marks me as a year older, nothing more. I promise I'm okay without celebrating it."

"Fine," Skye relents after a minute. "But I still think we should at least make you a cake."

* * *

_***February*** _

"I'll get it," Grant calls through the house as he makes his way out of the kitchen, shutting off the faucet and drying his hands off on a wash cloth. He makes his way over to the front door and pulls it open, his brows furrowing together when he sees the raven haired woman standing on the porch.

"Kara?"

"Hey Grant," she smiles brightly at him. She steps across the threshold and pulls him down into a hug. "How are you? It's been way too long."

"Yeah, it has," he says. They pull out of the hug and he stares at her, "Um, what exactly are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, because I am, I'm just curious as to why you're standing here on my front porch right now."

She takes a deep breath, "Well, I got done with my personal excursion and now I'm looking for a place to stay for the foreseeable future. I remembered you saying once that this is where one of your safe houses is. So I thought I'd stop by and say hello, maybe look for an available place while I'm here."

"Oh, well that's great. But uh, maybe you should have ca—"

"Grant? Who's at the door?" Skye asks as she makes her way into the front room from the hallway. She stops when she sees the woman standing with Grant.

"Skye," Grant speaks up, "this is Kara. Kara, this is Skye."

"Kara's the one with the mask who disguised herself as May, right?" Skye asks. Grant nods his head.

"And isn't Skye the one who shot you four times when your back was turned and then left you?" Kara asks with a raised eyebrow.

Grant nods his head again, "Mm-hmm. But she also happens to be my girlfriend and the mother of my unborn child."

Kara's eyes drift back over to Skye, this time taking notice of the other woman's large stomach, one hand resting on her lower back and then other resting underneath her belly.

"Oh, wow," she says. She looks up at Grant, "That's great. Congratulations, Grant."

"Thanks," he smiles.

"When are you due?" she directs at Skye.

"Late March," Skye replies with a small smile. "We're both just counting down the days until she finally gets here."

"You're having a girl?" Kara asks.

"Yeah, we are," Skye smiles, rubbing her hand across her baby bump.

"You both must be really excited," Kara says.

"We are," Grant nods. "It was pretty unexpected when we found out because we definitely weren't planning for all of this to happen, but I don't think either of us would trade it for anything," he smiles down at Skye.

"No we would not," Skye smiles back. She turns to Kara, "Hey, while you're here do you want to see the nursery? It's not quite finished yet, but it should be done really soon."

"Sure, I'd love to," Kara smiles.

"Great," Skye smiles, "it's just down the hallway."

"I'll be in the kitchen finishing up the dishes," Grant says and then drops a kiss to Skye's temple as he makes his way past her and into the kitchen.

Skye watches Grant walk into the kitchen and then turns back to Kara, "Follow me." She makes her way down the hallway towards the nursery, Kara falling into step right behind her. "Grant wanted to do a pretty neutral theme for the nursery, but as soon as we found out we're having a girl, I knew I wanted to do something special for her." They reach the nursery and Skye pushes the door open to reveal the room to Kara.

All the furniture is put together and pushed into the center of the room, plastic sheeting is taped down to cover the carpet, and blue painters tape is lining the edges of the window, outlets, and the doorframe. Each of the four walls and the ceiling is painted in a light purple color, paint cans and brushes sitting in one corner of the room.

"We still have another coat of paint to do," Skye explains, "and I found all these really cute metal butterflies at the store that we're going to hang on the walls once the painting is all finished. Her crib is going to be over there," she points to the far right corner of the room, "and her name is going to be spelled out using some wooden letters that are going to be painted a sky blue color. And I found these really pretty curtains that we're going to hang over the window. We're going to put some shelves on a couple of the walls too. We're still trying to figure out where exactly to put everything else, but I'm still getting excited just thinking about her sleeping and playing in here."

"I can tell," Kara nods. She turns to Skye, "And the nursery looks really great."

"Thanks," Skye smiles.

"So does all of this mean that you've left SHIELD?" Kara asks after a moment.

Skye sighs, "Not exactly. I'm just staying here until about a month after the baby is born. Then I'm returning to SHIELD but I'm going to come back here every few months and stay for a few days. Just until I know for sure that my team of Inhumans can handle themselves without me there and I pick someone to take over for me."

"Inhumans?" Kara furrows her brows. "I think I heard about them in the news while I was away."

"Yeah," Skye nods. "We're pretty much everywhere these days. Anyways, long story short; we're a group of humans with an alien gene because of some experiments done on a group of humans by a race of aliens ages and ages ago. The gene is passed down through the generations but it lies dormant until activated by this special mist. My gene became active back in Puerto Rico and I have a team of Inhumans back at SHIELD that I train and work with to find other Inhumans and help save the world."

Kara nods, "Ah. So does your baby have the gene then?"

"She does," Skye nods. "But it'll most likely be dormant when she's born like it was with me until I was exposed to the mist."

"Okay. And does anyone at know about the baby?"

Skye shakes her head, "Nope, I don't plan on telling any of them anytime soon because most of them probably wouldn't take it too well."

"Well I wish you both the best of luck then," Kara smiles politely.

"Thanks," Skye smiles back. "And hey, I hope you don't feel all weird or anything because of what's going on between me and Grant now. He mentioned briefly once before that you and he were sort of together for a little while."

Kara shakes her head and waves her off, "Oh, don't worry about it. Grant and I tried but we just didn't work well as a couple. We ended that relationship but chose to remain friends. He decided to stay here while I went off on my own to figure out who I was without having any ties to SHIELD. I even met up with a therapist and he helped me come to terms with a few things. So I'm doing a lot better than I was before I left, no longer all bitter about life and the hand I was dealt."

"Well I'm glad you're doing better," Skye smiles at her. "And I want you to know that you're more than welcome to come by here any time. If you want to come by, that is. You'll always be welcome here, I'm sure Grant would agree with me on that."

"Thank you," Kara smiles. "And I look forward to meeting your little girl."

Skye jumps slightly when she feels a quick jab to her abdomen. She rubs her hand across her stomach to soothe her daughter. She smiles at Kara, "Baby girl's been kicking up a storm lately. I think she's getting eager to come out and see the world already."

"I'm sure she is," Kara smiles.

"Do you want to feel?" Skye asks her.

"Really?"

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. Give me your hand."

"Um, okay," Kara holds her hand out to Skye.

Skye grabs the other woman's hand and places it on the side of her stomach where she'd felt the baby kick just moments before.

"Whoa," Kara smiles when she feels a thud against her palm. "That's so weird."

"It's even weirder on my end," Skye smiles. "But it's gotten less weird over time. I just can't wait for her to be here so I can finally hold her and kiss her and show her how much I love her."

* * *

"Happy Valentine's Day."

Skye lifts her head from her tablet to see Grant standing in front of her, holding a fresh bouquet of daisies out to her.

"Daisies?" she raises an eyebrow.

He shrugs, "Roses are kind of cliché and something tells me you'd rather have something unique. And these just _screamed_ your name when I saw them while I was out," he grins at his own joke.

Skye laughs, "Very nice, Grant. I had a feeling I'd regret telling you my birth name." She reaches out to take the bouquet from him, "But I love the flowers, thank you. I must ask, though, why the bouquet? It's just Valentine's Day."

"Correction," he says, sitting down next to her on the couch, "it's our _first_ Valentine's Day as an official couple. And ever, actually."

Skye smiles and nods once, "That it is. But if you have any plans for us today that involve me standing on my feet for any long period of time then go right ahead and cancel those plans."

He chuckles, "Not a problem. I already took that into consideration," he smiles down at her.

She looks at him with pursed lips, "How long have you been planning today?"

"Since you kissed me on New Year's," he grins.

She just smiles. "Well, are you going to tell me what you've planned for us?"

"I might," he smiles back.

"Please?" she asks him, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

He sighs, "Fine. We're going to have dinner delivered to us from that little restaurant you like—"

"But they don't deliver," Skye interrupts.

"I may have pulled a few strings," Grant smiles.

"Oh you are the best," she grins.

"Thank you. So, we're going to have a nice romantic dinner tonight which will be followed by a movie of your choice. The movie will then be followed by a bubble bath for you, because I know how much you love those, while I clean up from dinner. After your bath I will give you a foot massage because I also know you love those and really need them as of late. Then we'll just curl up in bed together until we fall asleep. So what do you think?"

Skye leans forward again ghosting her lips over his, "I think," she presses her lips to his, "that those plans sound amazing."

"I'm glad," he smiles, leaning forward to press his lips to hers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Kara has arrived. :) I totally think she could have been such a great character on the show if they hadn't killed her off the way they did. So of course I had to include her in here. Can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store for her. :)
> 
> Also, I make reference to Skye's birth name, because obviously she found out what it was. But she isn't going to start going by it, because in my world, she will always be Skye.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes. Wow. So who saw the s3 finale of AoS last night? I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but that finale is pretty much why I'm posting this chapter today instead of on the weekend because I'm super bitter and sad and need some fluffy Skyeward stuff.
> 
> This chapter is such a great one, you guys. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_***March*** _

Falling down onto the couch, Skye lets out a breath as she lifts her swollen feet up and rests them on the coffee table in front of her. She places her hands on top of her large stomach and leans back into the couch, letting her eyes close.

After a quiet moment, she opens her eyes and looks down at her stomach, rubbing her hands over the top of it, "Any day now, baby girl. You are more than welcome to come out and join us whenever you want. Preferably very soon because you should have been here two days ago and I really don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Skye?"

"In the living room," she calls out. She looks up to see Grant entering the living room from the kitchen. "Hey," she smiles at him.

"Hey," he smiles back. "What are you doing?"

"Not much," she tells him. "Just trying to coerce our daughter into coming out and finally joining us."

Grant smiles as he lifts her feet and sits down on the coffee table, setting her feet back down in his lap. "You were, were you?"

Skye nods her head, "I sure was." She breathes in deeply, "I just can't believe it's already been nine months."

"I know," Grant nods. "Thank goodness I was finally able to get the nursery finished last week."

Skye nods, "Yeah, thank goodness for that. I was a little worried for a while there that you wouldn't get everything done and that when she gets here she'd have to—oh," she winces slightly.

"What is it?" Grant asks, instantly going into protective mode. "Skye, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she shakes her head. "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine."

"Skye..."

She winces again, "It's just a little pain. I've been having some Braxton Hicks contractions for a little while but this one did not feel at all like a Braxton Hicks."

"Alright, come on, we're going to the hospital."

"What? Grant, no. It's most likely nothing. I'll probably be fine for a little while without going to the hospital. It could be a while until my water actually breaks, which means there's a possibility that they'll just send us back home."

"Skye," he gently moves her feet onto the floor and then stands from the coffee table so he can kneel in front of the couch and look at her. "Listen to me, you're right that this could just be nothing, but it could also be the baby getting ready to come out, and some labors only last a few hours so your water could break really soon. I know you're worried about bringing the hospital down or causing serious damage to the foundation while you're in labor, but I think you've got a good enough handle on your powers by now so that hopefully doesn't happen. And even if this turns to be nothing, I know I'll feel a whole lot better if we go have you and the baby checked out. Besides, your due date was a few days ago so this very well could be the baby wanting to come out."

She sighs, "Fine, let's go."

He gives her a small smile, "Thank you." He leans up to press a quick kiss to her lips before standing up to grab the hospital bag from the bedroom.

Skye looks down at her stomach and winces slightly at another sharp pain, "This better be you wanting to come out now, baby girl. Because if it isn't, then you are going to be in some serious trouble when do eventually get here."

...

"I can't do it," Skye pants as her head falls back onto her pillow, sweat beading on her forehead. "It hurts too much. Grant, I can't do this."

"Yes you can, Skye," Grant tells her. "You are so strong, and so brave, and I believe in you. You can bring our little girl into this world. I know you can. You can do this."

"Time to push again, Skye," the doctor says.

Sitting up, Skye lets out a loud cry as she pushes hard and squeezes Grant's hand tightly, the room shaking slightly as she does so.

"I see the head," the doctor tells her. "Another big push for me, Skye."

Skye pushes again, squeezing Grant's hand as hard as she can.

"The head's out," the doctor announces. "Next up is the shoulders. Give me a really, really big push here, Skye."

Squeezing Grant's hand tightly, she pushes with every ounce of willpower she has in her body, the room continuing to shake.

"There we go, there we go," the doctor says. A moment later, cries from a newborn baby fill up the room and drown out Skye's own cries. The doctor smiles and holds the baby up in the air, "It's a girl."

"Oh she's so beautiful, Skye," Grant says to his girlfriend as he watches the doctor take the baby to get cleaned up. He looks at Skye and brushes some loose strands of hair back out of her face, dropping a kiss to her forehead, "I am so incredibly proud of you, Skye."

Skye lets a small smile grace her lips as she lies back on the bed, breathing heavily. "You know, I think that was worse than getting shot," she jokes.

He smiles and chuckles, "I think I'll just have to take your word for it."

"Alright, here she is."

Grant and Skye turn their heads to see the doctor approaching them with their daughter in his arms, wrapped up in a soft pink blanket with a tiny pink hat on her head.

The doctor smiles, "A very healthy baby girl." He steps forward and lowers the baby into Skye's arms, helping her get situated. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Skye smiles up at him and then looks down at the newborn in her arms. "Hello, baby girl," she runs the back of her finger gently across the child's cheek. "Oh you are just so beautiful."

"Just like her mom," Grant smiles, sitting down on the edge of the bed and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"You're just saying that," Skye says back, leaning her head against him.

He shakes his head, "No, I'm not. It's the absolute truth. You both are extremely beautiful." He smiles down at the baby, "Hey there, sweetheart. I'm your dad."

"Can you believe we actually made this little thing?" Skye asks, shifting the baby in her arms.

"Not at all," Grant shakes his head. "But I'm sure glad we did."

She smiles up at him, "Me too."

...

"I still can't believe that she's finally here," Grant says to Skye as he lies behind her in her hospital bed; the both of them lying on their sides watching their daughter sleep soundly in her hospital issued crib.

"I know," Skye smiles softly. "She's really here."

"You did an amazing job, by the way," Grant tells her. "I know I already told you this, but I'm really proud of you. And the room hardly even shook. I don't think they'll think much of it."

She laughs quietly, "Yeah, I think having you there helped some. I mean, it was certainly tough to push so much and try to keep the room from shaking at the same time, but it was so worth it. Isn't that right, Jessica?" she smiles down at her daughter.

"We never picked out a middle name for her," Grant reminds his girlfriend.

"You pick it," she tells him.

"Really?" he asks.

She nods, "Mm-hmm."

"Okay." He thinks for a moment and then smiles, "Well I've always loved the name Katherine, with a K. Jessica Katherine."

"Jessica Katherine," Skye tries it out. She smiles, "I love it. Jessica Katherine Ward."

"You want her to have my last name?" he asks her.

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. I mean, you _are_ her dad."

He smiles down at the baby, "Yeah, I am. Jessica Katherine Ward," he repeats the name. "A perfect name for a perfect little girl."

Jessica stirs in her bed, soft mewling noises coming from her.

"I got her," Grant says, climbing off of the bed and walking around it to the crib. He reaches inside and pulls the squirming infant out, lifting her up into his arms and holding her how the nurse instructed. He walks over to the window at the other end of the room, gently rocking her in his arms.

He smiles down at the baby, watching as she squirms. "Hi Jessica," he whispers. He gently bounces her up and down to soothe her, "Shh, it's okay, you're okay. I know it might be a little scary being out in the world now," he says to her. "But I promise you that your mom and I are going to make sure that you are perfectly safe here. You and your mom mean everything to me, Jessica Katherine, you're both my whole entire world. And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that you're safe and always feel loved and like you belong. And I am never, _ever_ going to leave you, okay? Because you are exactly what we needed, you're like a little angel sent down to help me and your mom, and I don't think either of us would trade you for anything. Te amo tanto, Jessica Katherine."

* * *

"I'll get it," Skye calls out when she hears a knock at the front door. She places her laptop on the coffee table in front of her, stands up from the couch, and walks over to the front door. Pulling the door open, she smiles when she sees Kara standing on the porch, "Kara, hey."

"Hey," Kara smiles back. "I came by to see Jessica. I even brought her a little gift," she holds up a stuffed ladybug doll with a purple bow wrapped around its neck.

"Aww, that's so cute," Skye smiles at the doll. "Come on in," she opens the door wider, allowing Kara to step inside. "And you're in luck, because I actually just heard her start to fuss over the monitor before you showed up. Have a seat on the couch and I'll go get her."

"Great," Kara smiles, moving towards the couch to sit down.

Skye moves out of the living room and down the hallway towards the nursery. She steps inside the room and peers inside the crib to see Jessica lying on her back with her eyes wide open.

"Hi, baby girl," Skye smiles down at the child. "Come here, angel," she reaches down and picks the baby up, holding her against her chest. "Somebody is here to see you," she tells her daughter. "But I think we should probably change you first; don't want Auntie Kara to hold you while you have a dirty butt." She carries the baby over to the changing table and lays her down, grabbing a diaper and the wipes from one of the shelves underneath of it.

She quickly changes the baby's diaper, tossing the dirty one into the garbage can next to the table. She buttons her pajamas back up and then lifts her off of the table, holding her against her chest again.

"Alright, come on," she turns around and makes her way out of the nursery, then back out into the living room where Kara is waiting for them.

"Okay," Skye says when she gets out into the living room, "here she is." She moves over to the couch and sits down next to Kara, shifting the infant ever so slightly to allow Kara a better look at her.

"Oh, she's precious," Kara smiles at the baby. "The picture Grant sent me from the hospital doesn't do her justice." She looks up at Skye, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Skye smiles. "Oh, why don't you give her the doll you brought her?"

Kara picks up the ladybug doll and holds it up in front of the baby. "Hi Jessica," she says to the little girl, "look what I brought you. It's a little ladybug doll."

Jessica just lies in Skye's arms, staring up at the two women and plush toy in front of her.

Skye smiles, "I don't think she's quite figured out what it is yet. But good choice, it's really cute."

"Thanks," Kara smiles. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course you can," Skye nods. She shifts on the couch and carefully transfers the baby to Kara's arms. "Just make sure to support her head."

Kara nods her head in understanding as she adjusts the baby in her arms. She smiles down at the child, bouncing her ever so slightly in her arms.

"Hey Kara?" Skye speaks up.

"Yeah?" Kara responds, not taking her eyes off of Jessica.

"Um, well, Grant and I were talking while we were at the hospital, and we decided that we want you to be Jessica's godmother."

Kara's breath hitches in her throat and she looks up at Skye, "Are—are you sure?"

Skye nods her head, "Absolutely. Grant thinks very highly of you, and you were there for him after I...well, you know. Plus, I realize that my initial thoughts of you were very wrong. You were lost and confused back then when everything happened, but I can see now that you're actually a really great person. So we want you to be our daughters' godmother. What do you say?"

Kara gives her a watery smile, "I'd be honored."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you all think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Woo! Their baby girl is here. Jessica Katherine Ward, the little cutie. :) I've got some great chapters coming up that I can't wait for you all to read.
> 
> Kara's the godmother. It just seemed fitting and I couldn't resist. I really love the idea of Grant and Kara being really close friends and then Skye and Kara eventually building a friendship too.
> 
> *I love you so much*
> 
> Also, if you're interested in helping me out with a special project for Brett, let me know. I feel like it's needed now more than ever. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Thanks for all the love on the last chapter. The Skyeward baby is now here and things are only going to become even more adorable from here. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_***April*** _

Looking up from his book when the front door opens, Grant smiles when he sees Skye entering the house, breathing heavily as she pulls the ear buds out of her ears, letting them hang down in front of her.

"Hey, how was your run?" he asks her.

"Pretty good, actually," she tells him. "I think I'm almost back down to my pre-baby weight. Should be able to drop the last bit with a few rounds of sparring when I get back to the base."

"Well that's great," he tells her as she falls down next to him on the couch. "Can't have anyone on base asking any questions."

"No we cannot," she shakes her head. "Do you think anyone will notice a change with my body?" she asks him. "Especially my boobs, because I have definitely gone up a cup size since getting pregnant. It's actually kind of weird, to be honest."

"Well I'm hoping that no one in that place is paying close enough attention to your boobs to notice any kind of change," Grant says.

"I really wouldn't put it past Simmons for her to point something out." She leans back into the couch, closing her eyes as she takes deep breaths.

"You know, it's still not too late," he tells her after a moment. "You can always take Jess back with you to the base to live there together. You wouldn't have to tell anyone that I'm her father. I'd completely understand if that's what you want to do."

She looks over to see him with a small frown on his face.

Skye sighs and scoots closer to him, placing her hands on his face to get him to look at her, "I want you to listen to me very carefully, Grant Ward. Jessica is going to stay here with you and I'm going back to the base. I'll come by and visit every few months, especially for Christmas and her birthday. I don't want her around SHIELD and getting accustomed to all of that stuff. It isn't the kind of life I'd want for a kid, especially our kid. You are her father; I want you to be a permanent fixture in her life. And I won't stay at the base forever. Only until I feel that my team can handle themselves and everything else without me there. Then I'll pick someone to take over for me, retire from SHIELD, and come stay here with you and our daughter where we can live out the rest our lives in domestic bliss," she smiles.

He smiles back, "I'm looking forward to it."

She leans forward to press her lips to his, moving her hands down to rest on his neck. He smiles into the kiss, bringing one hand up to the back of her head, tangling it in her hair.

Skye pulls back from the kiss and rests her forehead against his, "I'm going to go and see Jess."

"What time are you leaving?" he asks her as she stands up from the couch.

"Probably right after dinner."

"Okay," he nods. "Now go see Jess, she's probably awake already or going to wake up soon."

She smiles at him, bends down to give him another kiss and then makes her way down the hallway towards the nursery.

Grabbing the door handle to the nursery, Skye twists it and pushes the door open to step inside, flipping the light switch on. She walks up to the crib and peers inside to see Jessica lying on her back, her ladybug doll lying right next to her, her eyes slowly fluttering open.

Skye smiles down at her daughter, "Hey, baby girl." She reaches down and lifts the infant out of the crib, cradling her in her arms. "Good morning, my little angel. Did you sleep well? I'm sure you did." She drops a kiss to the baby's forehead, "Come on, let's get you changed and then we're going to spend some one on one time before mommy has to leave tonight."

She carries the baby over to the changing table and lays her down, grabbing a diaper and the wipes from underneath the top. She quickly unbuttons the onesie, pulls it off, and changes the baby's diaper. She pulls an outfit out of the dresser next to her and steps back over to the changing table, dressing her daughter before lifting her off of the table.

She holds the baby against her chest and then moves over to the rocking chair in the corner, sitting down in it. She leans back and pulls down one side of her shirt, shifting the baby up to allow her to latch on to eat. Smiling down at the baby, she runs a hand across her soft head, opening her mouth to speak, "I'm going to miss you so much when I leave, baby girl." She presses a kiss to the top of her daughters' head before leaning her head back, a small smile on her face as she softly sings to the baby, " _Heaven only knows where you been. But I don't really need to know. I know where you're gonna go. On my heart where you're resting your head. And you just look so beautiful, just like you were an angel. Can I stop the flow of time? Can I swim in your divine? 'Cause I don't think I'd ever leave this place. Ooh oh, turn the lights, turn the lights down low. Yeah. Now I'm feeling you, breathing slow. Cause baby we're just reckless kids. Trying to find an island in the flood. And ooh oh, just turn the lights, turn the lights down low."_

_..._

"I really don't want to leave," Skye frowns as she holds Jessica in her arms by the front door, gently rocking the baby.

"I know you don't," Grant says, standing in front of her. "But this is what you wanted, remember? And we'll both still be here when you come back."

She sighs, "Yeah, I know. I just…it's going to be so hard to stay away from this little angel for any length of time."

Grant nods his head, "I know. But if you stay here any longer then people at the base are going to start getting more suspicious than they might already be. And we really don't want that."

"No we don't," she sighs again. She takes a deep breath and then looks up at him, "So, I pumped some milk and left it in the freezer for Jess. Just thaw it out and give it to her when she gets hungry again. I've been breastfeeding her since she was born so she's probably going to be a little hesitant at first to use the bottle, but I'm sure she will pretty quickly once she figures out that's how she's going to get her food. When the stuff I pumped runs out use the formula and the supplement. _Do not_ forget about the supplement, she needs it if she's going to be drinking the formula. And make sure that you—"

"Skye, I know," he smiles. "You told me all of this already, twice. And you also told Kara. Jess and I will be perfectly fine while you're gone. And I promise to send you pictures and keep you updated all the time. And I'll call you immediately if something goes wrong, but nothing bad will happen. I can take of her."

"I know you can. I'm just going to miss you both so much."

"And we'll miss you too. Isn't that right, Jess?" Grant looks down at the baby in Skye's arms.

Jessica just looks up at her parents with wide eyes.

Skye smiles down at the baby and lifts her up so she can press a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, baby girl. Be good for your daddy and your aunt and I'll be home as soon as I can."

She carefully hands the baby up to Grant and then gives him a kiss. "I'll text you when I get back to the base."

"Thank you," he smiles. "Drive safely."

"I will." Skye bends down and picks her bag up off of the floor before stepping out onto the porch. She makes her way down the few steps and over to the SUV. She opens the driver's side door and tosses her bag over into the passenger seat before climbing up into the drivers' seat. She turns over the ignition and pulls away from the curb, giving one last smile and wave to her boyfriend and daughter as she drives away.

* * *

Leaning over to grab her bag from the passenger seat, Skye steps down out of the SUV and shuts the door behind her. She pulls her phone out of the outside pocket of her bag and unlocks it, opening up the shell program to type a quick message and send it to Grant _Made it back to base safely. Miss you both so much already._

A few seconds later she gets a new message **Miss you too. Can't wait until you come back.** Attached to the message is a photo of Grant smiling up at her with Jessica lying on his chest.

Skye smiles at the photo before closing out of the program, locking her phone and sliding it into her back pocket.

"Skye?"

Turning her head, she sees Simmons walking quickly towards her. She smiles at her friend, "Simmons, hey."

"Oh it's so great to see you again," Simmons pulls her into a hug.

Skye hugs her back, "I missed you too." She pulls out of the hug and looks at the Brit, "How is everyone?"

"Fine," Simmons tells her. "Coulson's a bit worried, though, considering you were gone for so long and only called a few times for a short time to check in on your team."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I figured that if I called more than just a few times for longer than a couple of minutes then I'd just get sucked back in, and I really needed that vacation."

"That's understandable," Simmons nods. "But you're back now," she smiles.

"Yeah," Skye breathes out. "I'm actually really tired right now so I think I'm going to go to my bunk and get settled back in."

"Alright," Simmons nods again. "I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Yeah," Skye nods, and then makes her way past her friend towards her bunk.

When she reaches her bunk she steps inside, closing and locking the door behind her before dropping her bag onto the floor as she falls backwards onto her bed.

She lets out a deep sigh and then reaches into her pocket for her phone. She unlocks it and goes into her shell program, pulling up the image Grant sent her. She smiles at the photo before her screen flashes with an incoming video call.

She quickly hits the answer button and holds the phone up in front of her face, "Hey."

 _"Hey,"_ Grant smiles at her through the screen. _"You made it back okay."_

"Yeah. I'm in my bunk right now. What are you doing?"

_"Just put Jess in her crib. She's being a little fussy right now, though, so I thought maybe if she got to see you it'd help calm her down enough to fall asleep."_

"Well it is going to be her first night without me actually there. And my first night without her too. So I think we could both do with a little face to face time," she smiles.

 _"My thoughts exactly,"_ he says.

Skye smiles. "Oh, did you make sure to turn the baby monitor on?"

He nods, _"Yes, I did. Despite what you might think, Skye, I_ do _know how to put our daughter to bed."_

She sighs, "I know, I'm sorry. I'm just a little bit antsy, I guess, being away from her."

 _"It's fine. And completely understandable. Alright, here she is."_ He turns the phone around so the screen is in front of Jessica where she lies in her crib. _"Mira, Jessie. Es mam_ _á_ _."_

"Hi angel," Skye smiles when she sees her daughter. "Mommy misses you so much, my sweet girl. I love you so so much." She blows a few kisses at the screen. "Be good for your daddy and go to sleep. Don't give him a hard time."

Jessica continues to stare up at the screen.

" _Maybe if you sing to her,"_ Grant suggests. _"I know she loves hearing you sing to her. Try that one you were singing to her this morning."_

"Yeah, okay," Skye nods. She thinks for a moment and then softly sings, _"And I would give you everything baby. Can you fell this energy take it. You can have the best of me baby. And I would give you anything. Can you feel this energy take it. You can have the best of me baby."_

Jessica's eyes slowly start to flutter closed.

 _"Would you look at that,"_ Grant whispers and lifts the phone so he can smile at Skye. _"Your voice is a miracle worker."_

"Well that was a onetime thing. Don't think that you can call me every night to put her to bed by singing to her."

_"Don't worry, I won't. But I think Jess might be a bit of a momma's girl."_

Skye laughs quietly, "I think the first month after she was born would beg to differ considering she always wanted you to hold her unless she was hungry."

_"Still. I think she can tell that you aren't really here."_

Skye shrugs, "Maybe. But I'll be back soon."

He nods his head, _"Okay. Well I'm going to let you go now, let you get settled back in. But call me if you're ever feeling especially antsy and want to see Jess."_

"I will, I promise. And don't forget to send me pictures of the little angel."

_"I'll make sure to."_

"Good, thank you. I'll talk to you later."

_"Yeah, goodnight."_

"Goodnight."

Ending the video call, Skye pulls the phone down and rests it against her chest, taking a deep breath as she closes her eyes and relaxes into her mattress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *Look, Jessie. It's mommy.*
> 
> For those who are interested, I've got a project I'm working on for Brett. Let me know if you're interested, I'd be happy to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. I think some part of me has decided to update twice a week, so that's a thing that's happening now. You should all happy. That means it's not as long of a wait between chapters. And I can do that with this one considering it's all completely written. I just finished the final chapter yesterday.
> 
> Still have a little ways to go though, so don't worry. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_***May*** _

"This sucks," Skye says into her phone as soon as Grant picks up.

" _I'm sorry to hear that,"_ he replies. _"But would you maybe care to elaborate for me on what sucks and why it does?"_

"This is the first year that I can _actually_ celebrate Mother's Day and I'm not even there with the person who made me a mother. That's what sucks."

" _I know it's tough, Skye. But this is what you wanted."_

Skye sighs, "Yeah, I know. I just hate it. I want to be there with you both, but I have to take care of all of this stuff so that I can stay with you permanently and I just…I don't know."

" _Skye, relax, okay? Just take a few deep breaths and calm down. Everything is going to be fine. You know what you're doing."_

"Do I, Grant? Do I really know what I'm doing?"

" _I have complete and utter faith in you, Skye. I know that you can handle whatever is put in front of you; you always have been. You just have to believe in yourself too."_

"How is it that you always know just what to say?" she asks him.

" _I guess you could call it a gift. But seriously, I know it's tough being away from our daughter on a holiday that is actually meant to praise you for being her mother, but even though you aren't here with us, it doesn't mean we can't still celebrate somehow."_

She furrows her brows, "What do you mean?"

" _Give me a minute to switch over to a video call."_

"Okay."

" _Great. See you in a second."_

The call ends and Skye pulls her phone away from ear, looking at the screen and waiting for it to light back up with a video call.

A minute later, her phone buzzes and lights up with Grant's smiling face, indicating an incoming video call. Smiling to herself, she hits the answer button and holds the phone up in front of her.

The next thing she sees is Jessica lying on the living room floor, two large paper banners spread out above and below her reading _**HAPPY MOTHERS DAY, MOM. YOU ARE THE BEST. I LOVE YOU.**_

The camera shifts and then Grant's smiling face is filling up the screen, _"So, what do you think?"_

Skye gives him a watery smile, "It's wonderful, I love it. Thank you."

" _Anything to make you feel a little better."_

"I have a question, though."

" _Shoot."_

"Was it your plan all along to show me Jess and that banner over a video call?"

" _Actually I was just planning on taking a photo and sending it to you, but then you called."_

"Ah," she nods. "Well it was very thoughtful of you."

" _I'm glad you like it. I'm going to let you go now so you can do whatever it is that you need to do, but I'll talk to you soon."_

"Okay, bye."

" _Bye."_

Ending the video call, Skye holds her phone against her chest and smiles to herself, thinking about her boyfriend and daughter back home.

...

Running a hand through her hair, Skye sighs frustratingly and leans back in her chair. "Oh this is ridiculous," she mutters under her breath.

Her phone going off next to her pulls her attention to it. She picks up her phone and unlocks it, going into the shell program to find a new message and photo from Grant **Look who's two months old today.** The picture attached to the text shows Jessica lying on her back on her blanket, a tiny smile on her face.

Skye smiles at the photo and then clicks on the button for a video call, holding the phone up in front of her face.

A second later, the screen fills with the image of Jessica lying on her blanket, her stuffed ladybug lying right next to her. Skye smiles, "Hi, baby girl. Mommy misses you so much."

The screen shifts and then Grant is lying down next to Jessica, a smile on his face, _"Hello, beautiful."_

"Hey," she says. "I can't believe she's already two months old."

 _"Neither can I,"_ Grant shakes his head. _"She's getting so big."_

"I miss you guys so much," Skye tells him. "I wish I could come by sooner but I need to make up for all the time I spent away, and if I leave so soon again, people are probably going to start asking a lot of questions. But hopefully I'll still be able to come down in August. I want to come down for the Fourth, but I don't know if I'll be able to. Even if things aren't crazy here, I still might not be able to get away."

_"That's okay, I get it. But I can't wait until I get to see you again in person."_

"Neither can I," she smiles.

Jessica makes a gurgling sound, pulling Grant and Skye's attention to her.

 _"What is it, Jess?"_ Grant speaks up. _"Do you want all the attention on you? Considering you are your mothers' daughter I would not be surprised."_

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Skye asks with a raised eyebrow.

Grant looks back at her, _"Nothing bad. Just that you don't mind a little attention on yourself every once in a while instead of everyone else."_

Skye purses her lips and narrows her eyes, "You are so lucky I am not there right now, Grant Douglas Ward."

_"Ooh, use of the full name."_

"You are so infuriating," she tells him with a small smile.

He grins, _"You love it."_

"Maybe. But I really hope that's one trait of yours that Jessica does not inherit."

_"Only time will tell."_

"Yes it will," she smiles. "And I can't wait to see what kind of a personality she ends up having too."

 _"Well I think I'll be fine with pretty much any personality so long as she looks like you,"_ he smiles. _"Because you are incredibly beautiful and I want our daughter to look just like you."_

"As long as she's happy and healthy I'll be fine," Skye says.

 _"Me too,"_ Grant agrees. He takes a deep breath, _"Well, I'm going to let you go now because I'm assuming you still have a lot of work to do."_

Skye sighs, "Yes, I do. I have a lot of paperwork to finish filling out and files to read up on of a few new Inhumans that came in while I was gone that I'm just now actually getting around to reading. But I really don't want to do any of this right now."

_"I know. But you have to. I'll talk to you later, okay?"_

She nods, "Yeah, okay. Bye."

 _"Bye."_ He looks down at the baby next to him, _"Jessie, dile adiós a mamá."_

"Bye, angel," Skye smiles at her daughter. "Mommy loves you so so much."

Grant looks back at the screen and smiles, _"Bye."_

"Bye," Skye smiles back and then ends the video call.

Setting her phone down on her desk, Skye leans forward in her chair, resting her elbows on top of the desk and setting her chin in her hands. She stares down at the reports and files in front of her before taking a deep breath, sitting up straight and getting back to work.

* * *

_***June*** _

Picking up her phone, Skye opens up her shell program and selects Grant's number, typing a quick message to him _Happy Father's Day, Grant. Any special plans for today?_

A few minutes later she gets a reply **Thanks, Skye. And no, no special plans. It's just like any other normal day in the Ward household. Though Jess did buy me a present for this special holiday.**

Skye laughs quietly _Oh really. And what exactly did she get you?_

**A very nice home gym. It's really easy to set up and take down and it utilizes different parts of the house for your workout.**

_I see. Jess must really love her daddy._

**Of course she does. And since it's my first Father's Day, she wanted to make it extra special for me.**

_I'm sure that's exactly what it is._

**It was. She knows how much I like to workout to stay fit and thought that a home gym type of thing would be a good Father's Day present.**

_Whatever you say._

_Have you tried it out yet?_

**Not yet. But I plan on trying it out very soon.**

_That's good to hear. I'm going to go now, I just wanted to say Happy Father's Day._

**Thanks. Bye.**

_Bye._

...

Hearing her phone go off next to her, Skye turns her attention away from her laptop. She picks up the device and unlocks it, going into the shell program to find a new text from Kara with a video file attached **Almost three months old and already helping her dad with his workouts. :)**

Grabbing her headphones, she plugs them into her phone and sticks the buds in her ears. She hits play and smiles as the video starts.

_Grant is lying shirtless on the living room floor with Jessica lying on her back on top of his legs, her head resting against his feet._

_Grant looks over in the direction of the camera and smiles, "You ready?"_

_"Yep," Kara's voice comes from behind the phone._

_Grant looks over at Jessica and gives her a small smile before lying back all the way and curling his arms up underneath of his head._

_There's a pause and then he starts lifting his legs, Jessica's body still lying across him._

_After a few times of him doing leg lifts, he sits up and pulls Jessica down into his lap, planting a kiss to her cheek._

_Grant looks directly into the camera, "No offense, Skye, but I think I might like working out with Jess more than I do with you. She's such a great workout partner," he presses a kiss to Jessica's temple and then smiles into the camera as the video stops._

Skye smiles to herself as she closes out of the video. She goes to Grant's name in her contact list and sends a new text message _That workout video was very cute._

**I'm glad you think so. We had some fun doing a bunch of different exercises today.**

_Maybe when I come back we can do some family workouts :) Spend some quality time together._

**That does not sound like a bad idea.**

_It's good that you think that. Because even if you thought it wasn't a good idea I still would have made you do it anyway._

**And I don't doubt that for a second. But you know that I'd never pass up an opportunity to spend as much time as I can with you and Jess.**

_Yes, I do know that. And the same goes for me._

_By the way, how's Kara doing as the godmother to our little angel?_

**Pretty well, actually. She's over quite a bit to spend time with Jess. And I think Jess has taken quite a liking to her too.**

_Well I'm glad. Kara's nice, I still feel really bad for everything that happened to her._

**You had nothing to do with any of that so don't blame yourself for it. And she's past it all now. I told you about her personal excursion she went on, right?**

_Yeah. You said she went on a trip to figure out who she is without SHIELD. And she told me about it when she came by in February._

**Right, well she figured everything out. And like I'm sure she told you, she's, emotionally, past everything that happened to her. She doesn't harbor any hard feelings towards anyone involved anymore.**

_And that's really good. I know from personal experience that holding grudges against people doesn't do much good in the end._

**Very true. Though, your grudge against me led us to having Jess, so there is that.**

_That wasn't a grudge so much as pent up sexual frustration from when we were always around each other that desperately needed to be released. Then after that it was pretty much just a stress reliever. But I get your point; I think Jess is definitely the best thing to happen to either of us._

"Skye."

Lifting her head, Skye sees Mack standing in the doorway to the lounge.

"Mack, hey. What's up?"

"Mission briefing in five."

Skye nods, "Great, thanks. I'll be right there."

She looks back down at her phone to read Grant's text **It's actually a bit of a tie for me on whether you or Jess was the best thing to happen to me. You're both pretty great.**

_Good answer. :) I have to go now because there's a mission briefing, but I'll talk to you soon. Give Jess a bunch of kisses for me and tell Kara I say hey._

**Will do. Talk to you later.**

Closing out of the program and locking her phone, Skye stands up from the couch, shoves the phone into her back pocket and makes her way out of the lounge and towards the briefing room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *Say goodbye to mommy*
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with another chapter for ya. Thanks for all the love so far. And I had a couple people point out (one on here, one on FanFiction) that I used a wrong form of a word in Spanish on the last chapter. That is now fixed. Guess Google Translate isn't always the most reliable. :)
> 
> But a friend of mine over on FanFiction has agreed to be my proofreader for Spanish phrases and words within this story. So thank goodness for that. :)
> 
> Now for the chapter. Enjoy!

_***July*** _

Feeling her phone buzz next to her on her bed, Skye turns her attention away from her laptop to pick up the device. She unlocks it and goes into the shell program to find a new text from Grant containing only a photo **.** The picture shows Jessica sitting up on the couch with a smile on her face. There's a sign propped up next to her that reads _**HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM. I LOVE YOU.**_

Skye smiles and types back a reply _Thank you, that's very sweet. But how did you know that it's my birthday?_

**You told me, remember?**

_Vaguely. The majority of that pregnancy was one giant blur full of the constant need to pee and eat._

**Alright. Well it was about a month or so after you got to the house. I think we were just sitting in the living room watching TV and you asked me if I wanted to hear about when you met your parents.**

_Ah. It's all slowly coming back to me now._

**You told me the whole story about finding out Jiaying was your mom at Afterlife and then the dinner with your dad and finding out when your birthday is as well as hearing the story about the night you were born. It was a pretty interesting story.**

_Yes it is._

_But I don't think I expected you to actually remember my birthday._

**How could I not? I remember all the important things about you. Then again, everything about you is important to me, so…**

_Stop that._

**Stop what?**

_Stop being so sweet to me._

**I thought you'd be used to it by now.**

_I never said I wasn't used to it. I just told you to stop._

**Why?**

_Because you're making me blush._

**Alright, I'll stop.**

_Thank you._

**You're welcome.**

**So, any big plans for your birthday today?**

_Not really. I'm probably just going to eat some extremely unhealthy food and watch a cheesy chick flick with Simmons if she agrees to it while simultaneously, yet secretly, wishing I was at home with you and Jess._

**Sounds like a pretty fun night. Maybe the next time you're here for your birthday we'll have to celebrate someway.**

_This coming from the man who doesn't like celebrating or even acknowledging birthdays._

**Correction: I don't like acknowledging or celebrating MY birthday. I never said anything about not helping you celebrate yours.**

_Right, well. I don't really know how to celebrate my birthday properly because I never knew when it actually was._

**So does that mean you don't ever want to celebrate your birthday?**

_Maybe not in a huge way. Probably something small with just the three of us._

**I'm sure we can arrange something like that the next time you're here for your birthday.**

_I'm looking forward to it. :)_

_I have to go now, but thank you very much for the photo._

**You're welcome. And okay, I'll talk to you later.**

_Yeah, bye._

**Bye.**

...

"You know what I really wish we could do right now?" Alisha speaks up from where she's lounging back on one of the couches in the common room. "Go to the beach. I really wish that this secret base was near a beach instead of a town, even though it still doesn't really make much sense to me why we're near a town full of people seeing as how we're supposed to be a secret organization and whatnot. But still, it's the middle of the summer; I'd really like to get out and work on my tan. Because as much as I love being here and working with you guys, I'd really rather put on a bikini and go lounge around on the beach and have guys hit on me."

"That's always fun," Skye smiles. "I for one never pass up an opportunity to wear a bikini and get a tan."

"And you've got a great body for it too," Alisha tells her. "Especially as of late."

Skye stiffens and her heart starts beating faster, "What do you mean?"

"Just that you obviously worked out a lot while you were gone and since you got back, making your body super toned which would look absolutely amazing in a bikini."

Skye relaxes her shoulders and lets out a breath, "Oh, yeah, thanks. I guess I have been working out a lot more lately. Just stress, I guess."

Alisha nods, "Understandable. And I'd still love to go wear a bikini outside to get a tan at this time of year."

"Well not only is it the middle of the summer, it is also the Fourth of July," Skye smiles at the small group.

"We should do something to celebrate," Joey tells them all.

"And how exactly are we going to celebrate?" Alisha asks him. "We live on a secret base miles and miles away from civilization."

"Doesn't mean we can't celebrate somehow."

Skye drowns out the light arguing to pull out her phone after feeling it vibrate in her pocket.

She unlocks it and goes into the shell program to see a new text from Grant with a photo attached **Happy Fourth of July, mom. Wish you were here with us tonight to watch the fireworks.** The picture shows Jessica dressed in a white sun dress with blue and red stars all over it, and a white headband with a blue and red bow.

Skye smiles at the photo and types back a reply _I miss you both so much. Wish I could be there to celebrate with you too. Things have been getting pretty crazy around here so I couldn't get some time away, but I promise I'm going to come by next month._

**I'm going to hold you to that. Jess is pretty excited to see the fireworks tonight, even though she most likely doesn't know what fireworks actually are and is probably going to fall asleep before they start.**

_Just make sure she's bundled up enough, please. I know that it's the middle of the summer but she's not even six months old yet. I don't want to risk her getting sick or something._

**I know. Don't worry about it. I'm going to go now, but I'll talk to you soon.**

_Okay, bye._

"Oi, what has you so distracted over there?"

Skye looks up from her phone to see everyone looking at her. "Sorry, what?"

"You have that smile on your face again," Simmons tells her. "It's the same one you've been getting whenever you look down at your phone for the past couple months. What's so interesting in it?"

"Oh, um, nothing. Just uh, just some personal stuff."

"Good," Joey nods his head from the other couch. "Then you can weigh in on our little discussion that we're having."

"I think a party would be fun," Skye smiles. "A barbecue, to be exact."

Alisha smiles, "A barbecue sounds perfect. There's plenty of space around this entire building where we can set everything up."

"Sounds like a plan," Skye smiles. She stands from the couch, "I take it you all can handle the details about the barbecue. I'm going to my room and take a nap. I'll see you later." She turns around and walks out of the room, making her way down the hallway towards her bunk.

* * *

_***August*** _

"I'm home," Skye calls into the house as she walks through the front door, dropping her duffel bag on the living room floor and shutting the door behind her.

"We're back here."

With a smile on her face, Skye toes her shoes off by the door and then makes her way further into the house and down the hallway towards the bedroom.

Stopping in the open doorway to the room, her smile grows wider when she sees Grant lying on one side of the bed, one of his arms tucked up underneath of his head and the remote for the TV in his other hand. Jessica is lying next to him, propped up and surrounded by pillows and blankets to keep her safe.

Grant looks up and smiles when he sees her, "Hey, beautiful. Safe trip?"

She nods her head, "Mm-hmm."

"Jessie," Grant looks down at the baby next to him, "mira quién está aquí."

Skye grins and makes her way closer to the bed. "Hey, baby girl," she sits down on the bed and lifts her daughter into her arms, planting kisses all over her face. "Oh I missed you so much, my angel."

"What about me?" Grant asks her with a small smile. "Did you miss me? Or just the baby?"

Skye smiles and scoots over on the bed to get closer to him, "No, I missed you too." She leans down and gives him a quick kiss. She pulls back and then scoots even closer, moving the pillows and blankets out of the way so she can lie down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. She sets Jessica in her lap, letting the baby lie back against her chest.

"Well," she speaks up, "I see you're still holding firm to your plan to teach our daughter Spanish."

Grant nods, "Yes I am. It never hurts to know another language. Just you wait and see, Skye. Once she's old enough, she's going to be speaking Spanish so fluently it'll be like she grew up in a place where Spanish is the first language."

"If she's learning English _and_ Spanish as she grows up, does she really even have a first language?" Skye questions.

Grant furrows his brows, "I think English would be considered her first language. And Spanish would be considered a second. But I'm not positive. It might work differently when you grow up speaking two languages. I don't know for sure though."

"Right," Skye nods. "Well, that doesn't really matter. All that matters is that she's a happy and healthy baby girl who's going to be very well educated because of her super handsome daddy."

Grant smiles, "And her very beautiful mom."

Skye smiles, ducking her head slightly due to the blush slowly creeping up her cheeks. She clears her throat and looks back up at Grant, "So, what have you two been up to so far today?"

"We've just been having kind of a lazy day," Grant tells her. "However, Jess has a play date tomorrow afternoon with a kid in the neighborhood."

Skye raises an eyebrow, "A play date, really? Isn't she still a little young for one of those?"

Grant shrugs, "Maybe."

"How did you even meet the kid she has a play date with?" Skye asks him.

"I took Jess out for a walk the other day and met this really nice family who lives just a few houses down. They have two boys; the oldest boy, Trevor, is three and the youngest, Ian, is about a week or so older than Jess."

"Well look at you," Skye smiles. "Making nice with the locals."

Grant chuckles, "I'm just trying to be a good dad and do what's best for our daughter."

"You're a great dad," she smiles at him. "I'm also very impressed that you've been managing to dress our daughter properly, despite how most of your wardrobe when we met consisted of blue jeans and black or grey t-shirts."

He smiles, "Well thank you. Though Kara does insist on taking over in the clothing department whenever she comes by."

"Somehow I am not surprised by that," Skye laughs.

"So do you want to come to the play date with Jess and I tomorrow?" Grant asks her.

She nods her head, "Of course."

"Good," he smiles, dropping a kiss to the top of her head and then turning his attention to the TV screen.

...

"This is their house?" Skye asks Grant as they stand on the front porch of a two story house. She bounces Jessica lightly on her hip, adjusting the strap of the diaper bag on her shoulder.

He shrugs, "I guess so, this is my first time here. But they're nice people; I think you'll really like them."

"I better," Skye tells him.

"You will," he smiles.

A second later, the door opens to reveal a short woman with shoulder length blonde hair and bright green eyes standing on the other side.

"Grant," she smiles up at him, "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I am too," he smiles back. "Kendra, this is Skye."

"Oh it's so great to finally meet you," Kendra smiles over at Skye. "Grant has told me a lot of really great things about you. Come on in," she steps back and opens the door to allow the both of them inside the house.

Grant and Skye step inside, toeing their shoes off by the front door.

"Wow," Skye says as she looks around the room, "you have a really nice home."

"Thank you," Kendra smiles. "We moved here when Trevor, my oldest, was just a baby and we've been here ever since."

"That's nice," Skye smiles. "Grant's had our house set aside for a while, but we didn't actually move in until I got pregnant."

"Well we're glad to have you three in the neighborhood," Kendra smiles.

"Thanks," Skye smiles back.

"Well, Ian's already in the living room if you want to follow me."

"Lead the way," Skye asks as she and Grant follow Kendra into the living room. She sets the diaper bag down on the end of the couch.

"So Grant tells me that Jessica is your first and only," Kendra speaks up.

"Mm-hmm," Skye nods, bending over to lie Jessica down on the blanket next to baby Ian. She stands back up and looks at Kendra, "She was a complete surprise for us, but we love her so much more because of it, I think. She's our little angel," she smiles down at her daughter.

"That's so great to hear," Kendra smiles. "Please, have a seat," she gestures to the couch in the room. "Can I get either of you anything to drink?"

"Just some water would be fine," Skye says, sitting down on the couch.

"Same for me," Grant smiles, sitting down next to Skye.

"I'll be right back, then," Kendra says, turning and making her way into the kitchen.

Grant leans back into the couch and wraps his arm around Skye's shoulders, letting her lean into his side, "So, what do you think of Kendra?"

Skye tilts her head in thought and then looks at Grant, "She's sweet."

"Yeah?"

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. I like her. I think she and I are going to become really good friends."

"I think so too," Grant nods. "I also think I might get to know some more of the neighbors around here, see if there are any other kids around Jess' age for her to hang out with as she gets older. And I might possibly make some friends for myself while I'm at it."

Skye turns her head to look at him, "Is there some new programming upgrade for your model that I don't know about? One that makes you actually _want_ to interact with other people?"

Grant sighs and shakes his head, "You think you're pretty funny, don't you?"

She smiles, "Oh I'm not just funny, I'm hilarious."

"I'll let you keep thinking that," he presses a kiss to her temple and then leans back into the couch, turning his attention to the two infants lying together on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Alright, so we got a couple new characters in there at the end. You might see them pop up again at some point down the line.
> 
> Also, some of the people are starting to get suspicious about Skye. Anybody want to take a guess at who might possibly be the first to find out Skye's secret? Because I can definitely say that it won't stay a secret forever and someone will be finding out about it. Any guesses?
> 
> *Look who's here*
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. I'm almost done with my first year of college, guys. Just about a week and a half left. I'm so excited. :)
> 
> Now on with the chapter, enjoy!

* * *

_***September*** _

Rolling over onto her side, Skye picks her phone up off of the nightstand next to her and then lies on her back again, holding the phone up in front of her face.

She unlocks the device and goes into the shell program, immediately finding Grant's contact. She hits the video call button and waits for the call to connect.

A second later, Grant's smiling face fills up the screen, _"Hey, beautiful."_

"Hey," she smiles back. "What are you up to?"

He shrugs, _"Not a whole lot. What about you?"_

"I was just taking a breather," she tells him. "Did a lot of working out today and it kind of took a lot out of me."

" _You have to be careful,"_ he reminds her. _"Don't try and do too much at once. You can actually get sick by exerting yourself too much when training."_

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I'll try and be more careful in the future."

_"Thank you. So, why are you calling?"_

Skye shrugs, "I just wanted to talk to you. And see Jess, too. I can't believe she's already six months old."

Grant lets out a sigh, _"I know. It's pretty crazy, huh? She's growing up, Skye."_

Skye closes her eyes and shakes her eyes, "No, don't say that. She's still my baby."

Grant chuckles, _"Alright. I'm sorry. She's playing on the floor right now, do you want to see her?"_

Skye raises an eyebrow, "What do you think?"

Grant smiles and nods, _"Right, sorry, my bad. Give me one second."_

Skye sits up in her bed as the camera shifts and then her screen is filled by an upside down image of Jessica lying on her back on her blanket, a few different toys surrounding her.

"Hi, baby girl," Skye smiles, causing her daughter to tilt her head and look up at her.

Jessica smiles wide when she sees Skye on the screen. "Ah!" she reaches a hand out above her head, trying to reach Skye. She slowly rolls herself over onto her stomach and reaches out again for Skye.

"I miss you so much, Jessie," Skye smiles. "You are getting so big, I can't believe it."

After a moment, Jessica uses her small arms to push herself up onto her knees.

Skye gasps, "Grant, did she just…?"

" _Yeah,"_ Grant peeks his head into the frame, _"she's been doing that a lot recently. She usually just goes back onto her stomach, though. I think she's trying to psych herself up to actually do it, you know?"_

Skye nods, "Yeah, that's makes sense."

A second later, Skye gasps again, "Grant! Look at her!"

Grant turns his head to see Jessica slowly making her way across the floor on her hands and knees, stumbling ever so slightly.

"She's crawling," Skye grins. "Grant, she's actually crawling."

" _I know, I see her. Wow. This is amazing."_ He brings his face back into the frame, _"I guess seeing you made her want to crawl to you,"_ he smiles.

"Yeah, maybe. I'm just so happy I was able to witness it," Skye smiles.

" _Me too,"_ he smiles back. He looks at Jessica, _"Papá está tan orgulloso de ti."_

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that," Skye says with a smile on her face.

Grant turns his head to look at her, _"Get tired of what?"_

"Hearing you talk to Jess with so much love in your voice. Especially when you talk in Spanish to her. It's even sweeter than when you talk to her in plain old English."

" _You really think so?"_ he asks her.

Skye nods, "Mm-hmm. It's very sweet and very fatherly."

Grant chuckles, _"Well thank you very much."_

"You're welcome," she smiles.

* * *

_***October*** _

"Hey Skye, your phone went off a couple of times but there's nothing showing up on the screen."

Skye turns her head around to see Mack standing in the entryway to the common room, holding her cell phone out to her.

Skye lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank goodness. Where was it?" she stands up from the couch and walks over to the other agent.

"In the gym." He casually crosses his arms in front of his chest and furrows his brows, "Is there something wrong with it? Like I said, nothing showed up on the screen when it went off."

"Oh, yeah, it's probably just a small glitch in the programming. Nothing I can't fix with a few quick key strokes," she says.

"Right," Mack nods his head.

"Thanks, again, Mack," Skye smiles at her friend. "I don't really know what I'd do if I lost this thing," she waves her phone in the air briefly. Then she turns around and walks back over to the couch, sitting down and unlocking her shell program. She smiles when she sees a few new texts from Grant.

**Happy Halloween, Skye. Hope none of your upcoming cases are too spooky.**

**Jess and I are just going to stay in tonight and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. It's not like she'd really remember going out anyways. Next year for sure we'll take her out.**

**Also, do you like her costume?** A picture is attached to the message, showing Jessica sitting up on the couch, dressed up to look like a ladybug.

Skye smiles wider at the photo, typing back a reply _She looks absolutely adorable. Good choice of a costume._

**Thanks. But I can't really take the credit here. It was Kara's idea.**

_Well she made a great decision. And remember to be nice to the kids that come to the door tonight._

**I know, Skye. I did fine last year, I think I'll be okay this year too.**

_You better be. I'm going to go now, but I'll talk to you soon._

**Okay, bye.**

_Bye. Give Jess a kiss for me._

**Will do.**

Closing out of the program and locking her phone, Skye sets it down and turns her head to see Mack still standing in the doorway looking at her.

"What?" she asks.

"Nothing," Mack shakes her head. "You've just seemed a bit different lately ever since you got back from your vacation. Almost like your whole world is in that thing," he nods his head towards Skye's phone.

Skye lets out a laugh, "Well that's a bit crazy, Mack. I may be a huge tech geek, but this is just a phone. I'm not some crazy person who thinks that their entire life is on a piece of tech and that if they don't have it they'll die."

Mack furrows his brows, "Didn't you just say that you don't know what you'd if you lost it?"

Skye pauses. "Well…yes. But only because I like to know where all my tech is at all times. Plus, I don't like the idea of someone possibly getting a hold of any of my tech; it worries me what someone might do."

"Alright," Mack nods. "I get it. All I'm saying is that sometimes it seems like you'd rather be somewhere else."

Skye gives him half a smile, "Well I can assure you that I have nowhere else I need to be."

* * *

_***November*** _

"Wow, I still can't believe that that actually happened," Joey laughs as everyone sits around in the common room, telling each other stories from previous missions or their childhood.

"Well it did," Coulson nods his head.

"That's pretty crazy, boss," Joey chuckles, lifting his beer to his lips.

"My mom grounded me about a month after that happened," Coulson explains.

"That's it?" Hunter exclaims. "My mum would've grounded me for a year if I'd have done something like that."

"But then again, you were always getting into trouble," Bobbi interjects. "Your mom's told me stories," she shrugs at his questioning face.

Hunter goes wide-eyed, "Are you serious? I can't believe it."

"Relax, Hunter," Bobbi rolls her eyes. "Your mom is a sweetheart, you should be glad we get along."

"Well you didn't have to grow up with her," Hunter grumbles.

Skye's phone going off pulls everyone's attention to her.

"Sorry," she smiles sheepishly, pulling her phone out of her pocket. She unlocks it, goes into the shell program to see an incoming call from Grant, and then stands up from the couch. "This shouldn't take too long; keep on with the bonding, you were on a roll," she smiles at them and then holds her phone up to her ear once she reaches the door.

"Grant?" she says into the phone when she steps out into the hallway. "What's up?"

_"Hey, Skye. So um, I have to tell you something that's really important but you have to promise me that you won't freak out when I tell you."_

"Well I can't exactly promise you that because I don't know what it is you're going to tell me."

" _Are you sitting down?"_ he asks.

"Grant…"

He sighs, _"Fine. I brought Jess to the hospital about an hour ago and we're still here."_

"What?!" she shouts. She lowers her voice and turns her back to the door when she sees everyone looking over at her out of the corner of her eye. "Why did you wait an hour to call me? And why the hell are you at the hospital?" she asks through her teeth. "And don't you _dare_ say that it's just nothing, Grant Douglas Ward, because it's obviously something if you took our daughter to the hospital."

" _I didn't call you before because I didn't want to worry you if it was just nothing."_

"Well it's too late for that because now I'm worried. What's wrong?"

" _Nothing's wrong, necessarily. She just has an ear infection."_

Skye eyes go wide, "An ear infection?"

_"Yeah. She's been a little cranky the last couple of days which is weird for her because she's usually pretty calm, and she didn't want to go to sleep when I put her down for her nap earlier today. When I was checking her over she was feeling a little warmer than usual too. I thought it was just because the house was a little too warm and that she'd cool down after a couple of hours of being in the living room with the air conditioning turned on. After dinner I checked her again and she felt warmer than she did before, and she was really cranky but also super clingy. So I brought her to the hospital and they said that she has an ear infection and that it should go away in a few days."_

"I'm coming back," she tells him.

_"What? No, Skye. You don't need to do that. Jess will be fine, I promise. The doctor said that this is a pretty common thing among infants and we shouldn't worry too much about it. We just have to give her some antibiotics and wait it out. This will all go away on its own time."_

Skye frowns, "Still, I don't like not being there while she's sick. Especially because from what you told me she's having a really hard time. And if I'm not there then I'm just going to worry way more than I usually do."

_"I know you will, and that's one of the things that makes you such a great mom. But you'll see her soon and when you do I'm sure she'll be all better and more than happy to see you again. You're still planning on coming by next month for Christmas, right?"_

"Mm-hmm. I did promise you that I'd be there no matter what."

_"Yes you did. I'm going to go now so that I can check on Jess."_

"Okay. Will you give her a giant kiss and hug for me?"

_"I promise I will. I'll talk to you later."_

"Yeah, okay. Bye."

_"Bye."_

Hanging up her phone, Skye lets out a sigh and runs one hand through her hair. She slides her phone into her back pocket and turns towards the common room. She stops in her tracks when she sees everyone looking at her.

"Um, hey guys," she waves awkwardly.

"Is everything okay?" Coulson asks her.

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't everything be okay?" she moves towards the couch and sits back down.

"You sounded a bit anxious on the phone," Simmons tells her.

"Oh, that. Yeah, um, that was just an old friend of mine."

"Do you need to go?" Coulson asks her.

She takes a deep breath and shakes her head, "No, she'll be fine. Besides I'm seeing her next month around the holidays anyways."

"You are?" May asks.

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. She's going to be in the area visiting some family and we haven't seen each other in a long time. So I'm going to go and spend some time with her."

"As long as you aren't gone for too long," Coulson tells her.

She gives him a tight smile, "I'll be back here January 1st."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Alright, people are starting to get curious. Anymore guesses as to who's going to find out first?
> 
> *Daddy is so proud of you*
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter. First of all, I wanna say, you've all made some great guesses on who finds out first. :) I really love this chapter so I hope you do too. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_***December*** _

"Hey Skye, are you ready to go yet?" Grant calls through the house from the living room where he's shoving his keys, wallet, and cell phone into his pockets.

"Almost," she calls back.

A few minutes later Skye emerges from the hallway carrying Jessica in her arms, both of them dressed up in their best. "Okay, we're ready to go now. Took a little bit of struggling, but now Jessie is all dressed up and ready to go see Santa for the very first time."

Grant turns around and smiles when he sees Jessica wearing a red velvet dress with white fur trimming on the bottom of the dress and the ends of the sleeves, a pair of white stockings and black dress shoes, and a white headband with a red bow.

"She looks great," Grant smiles, stepping towards his girlfriend and daughter. "Te ves tan hermosa, Jessie," he smiles at the little girl, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"What about me?" Skye asks him. "How do I look?"

Grant steps back to take in her outfit; a simple red dress that goes down to her mid thigh, a pair of black pumps, and part of her hair pulled back by a large black clip.

He smiles at her, "You look amazing."

"Thank you," she smiles. "You don't look half bad yourself," she eyes his outfit up and down; a pair of black slacks, a dark red button up dress shirt, and black dress shoes.

"Thank you," he smiles at her. "But don't you think it's a little cliché that we're all matching?" he asks her.

Skye shakes her head, "Nope. It's our first professional family photo and it just so happens to be at Christmastime. All of us wearing red just seems right somehow. Plus I never got to do anything cheesy like this when I was a kid so indulge me a little."

He chuckles lightly, "Yeah, alright. And I guess it makes a little bit of sense."

"It makes complete sense," she says. "Now come on," she steps past him and stops in front of the door, looking at him over her shoulder, "time to go get our pictures taken with Santa."

...

"Oh these turned out so perfect," Skye smiles as she looks through the photos from the Santa Photo Booth at the mall. "I am so glad we decided to come here and do this."

"Yeah?" Grant asks from his spot walking beside her, Jessica lying asleep against his shoulder while he pushes the stroller in front of him as they make their way through the busy shopping center.

Skye nods, "Mm-hmm. We definitely have to frame a couple of these to hang up at the house. The walls are still pretty bare."

Grant nods his head, "Okay, I think we can do that. There's a store right over there where you can probably find some frames," he points to a store just off to the side. "I'll wait out here with Jess while you look around."

Skye thinks for a minute and then shakes her head, "No, that's fine. Jess looks like she's pretty wiped so we should probably get her home. I'll worry about getting some frames for these pictures later."

"Are you sure?"

She nods, "Mm-hmm. Things usually go on sale after the holidays anyways."

"Okay. Shall we go home then?" he asks her.

"Yes, I think we should definitely do that." She smiles, "We have to continue getting ready to celebrate our first Christmas together as a family."

He smiles back, "Yes we do."

...

"She's out," Grant whispers to his girlfriend, glancing down to see Jessica lying asleep on the carpet next to the couch, one of the antennas of her ladybug doll clutched tightly in one fist. He's lying on his back on the couch, Skye lying pretty much on top of him, resting her head on his chest with one of his arms wrapped comfortably around her waist, an old Christmas movie playing out on the TV screen in front of them.

"Well it is almost midnight," Skye tells him. "She's probably been out for a while."

"True," he nods. "Should we move her and put her in her crib?"

Skye thinks and then lets out a breath, "I don't know. I'd hate to move her and have her wake up and then not be able to get her back to sleep."

"Oh I'm sure you'd be able to get her to go back to sleep by singing to her. It's worked before. You could sing that one Christmas song you like. The one you sang last year when you were pregnant that got her kicking up a storm, remember?"

She nods and laughs quietly, "Yes, I remember. Very vividly. We could just let her sleep on the floor, though," she tells him. "And we can sleep on the couch to keep an eye on her. Mainly because I don't want to move because I'm so comfortable. You're a great pillow and heater."

"I'm pretty sure you've told me that before," Grant replies with a smile.

"Well it's the truth," she says. "Now, you go grab the rest of the presents to put under the tree while I keep the couch warm. Then you come back over here and join me so we can get a few hours of sleep in before Jess wakes us up."

"You don't want me to just pick you up and carry you to the bedroom?" he asks her with a small smile on his face.

She shakes her head, "Nope. I don't want to move."

He chuckles, "Alright. Well, you're going to have to move a little so I can get up."

Skye sighs, "Fine." She shifts off of his body and presses herself against the back of the couch, allowing him to stand up.

"I'll be right back," he tells her, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Mmkay," she replies, her eyes closed as she stretches out on the couch.

Grant just smiles at her and then turns around to make his way down the hallway towards their bedroom for the rest of the Christmas presents.

...

Breathing in deeply, Skye smiles at the feeling of two strong arms wrapped around her middle. She tilts her head up to see Grant looking at her with a smile on his face.

"Good morning," he whispers.

"Morning," she smiles back. She leans up to press a kiss to his lips.

Grant smiles into the kiss, tightening his hold on her. He moves one hand to her hip, letting his fingers graze at the skin right above the hemline of her shorts.

Skye pulls back, "Not now."

Grant groans, "Do you know how long it's been?"

"It hasn't been that long," she tells him with a roll of her eyes.

"August," he deadpans. "The last time you were here was August."

"Well then be a good boy the rest of the time I'm here and maybe I'll reward you." She leans forward and gives him a peck on the lips before pulling back.

She leans over the edge of the couch to see Jessica already lying awake, holding her ladybug close to her body.

Skye smiles down at her daughter, "Hey, baby girl." She sits up on the edge of the couch and reaches down to lift the little girl off of the floor and set her in her lap, tucking the ladybug between their bodies. She presses a kiss to Jessica's cheek, "Merry Christmas, angel. Are you ready to open some presents? Mommy and daddy got you some really good presents. And Auntie Kara is coming by later to say hi and give you a present."

"Feliz Navidad, Jessie," Grant sits up behind Skye and smiles at his daughter. He leans forward and presses a kiss to her cheek. He looks at Skye and smiles at her, wrapping an arm around her waist, "I'm really glad you're here so we can celebrate Christmas together. As a family."

Skye smiles back at him, "As a family."

* * *

_***December/January*** _

"Weren't you going to put her in bed before the countdown started?" Grant asks Skye as he enters the bedroom to find her still sitting on the bed with ten month old Jessica curled up in her lap, the stuffed ladybug lying next to her.

"I was going to," Skye looks up at him. "But she just looks so comfortable right now, I figured I'd let her stay in the bed with us tonight," she smoothes back some of Jessica's dark hair. She presses a kiss to her daughters' forehead. "Besides, it's only for one night. I'm leaving tomorrow and I haven't seen her in what feels like forever. Let me have this just this once."

Grant smiles, "Fine. Just this once." He climbs into the bed next to her, handing her one of the glasses of champagne.

She smiles at him, "Thank you."

"Of course," he smiles back, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. He pulls back and settles himself down onto the bed, holding his own glass of champagne. "So, are you ready to ring in 2018?"

Skye shrugs, "I guess so."

"What is it?" he asks.

"Nothing. I just can't believe our baby girl is going to be a year old so soon."

"It's crazy how quickly the time has gone by," Grant comments, running one of his hands through Jessica's hair.

"Especially for me because I'm always away," Skye says sadly, looking down.

Grant dips his head so he can look at her, "Hey, you may not be here all the time, but you're here when it really matters. That's all we can ask for."

She sighs and looks up, "I just wish I could be here more."

"I know you do. But you'll be here again for her birthday. That's the big one that really matters."

She smiles as she looks down at her daughter, "Yeah."

"Hey Skye," Grant says to her.

She looks up at him, "Yeah?"

Grant leans forward and gently presses his lips to hers, a small smile on his face. He pulls back and smiles just a bit bigger at her, "Happy New Year."

She smiles back, "Happy New Year. I love you."

He grins from ear to ear, "I love you too."

* * *

_***February*** _

"You know, I really hate Valentine's Day," Hunter says as he walks into the common room and falls down onto the couch across the room from Skye.

Skye looks up at him, "See, I could understand you saying that if you didn't have anyone to celebrate the holiday with, but you do have someone. A wife."

" _Ex_ wife, thank you very much," Hunter corrects her. "And even when we were married I hated Valentine's Day. It just put all of this unwanted pressure on me to actually make it a special day. But I was never really good at that kind of stuff, so I'd apologize profusely for ruining the holiday and then we'd end up having sex. So now that I think about it, it really wasn't all too bad."

Skye laughs quietly, "Glad to hear it. I was never a huge fan of the holiday either, but I learned to appreciate it as I got older."

"Yeah? And how's that?"

"Discounted chocolate the next day," she smiles.

Hunter chuckles, "Yes, I think I can see the appeal."

Skye's phone goes off in her pocket and she pulls it out, unlocking the shell program to find a new text from Grant **Happy Valentine's Day, beautiful. This probably isn't what you were expecting as a gift, but I'm sure you'll like it anyways.** A video is attached to the message and she quickly pulls the headphones out of her laptop and plugs them into her phone.

She hits the play button and the video opens up, filling her phone screen.

_Grant is smiling into the camera, "Hey beautiful, I wish you could be here right now to see this, but I guess this will have to do for now until you come back to see it in person." He shuffles with his phone for a moment and then moves back, bending down so his face is still in the screen. "You ready? Watch this." He moves across the room and squats down a little ways away from where Kara is standing holding onto Jessica's hands to help her stay steady on her feet. "Okay Jess," he holds his arms out to the little girl. "Ven acá, come to daddy."  
_ _Kara lets go of Jessica's hands, the little girl wobbling for a moment on her feet. Then she lifts one foot off of the floor and sets it down in front of her, repeating the same process with her other foot. She keeps going, taking a few more wobbly steps across the carpet before falling into Grant's open arms, a small smile on her face.  
_ _"Muy bien, baby girl," Grant smiles, lifting Jessica off the ground, standing up, and twirling her around.  
_ _He walks back over to the camera and picks it up, holding it up so he and Jessica are in the frame.  
_ _"Did you see her go, Skye?" Grant asks with a happy smile on his face. "She's walking. Can you believe it? She's still a little wobbly, but soon enough she'll be walking all over the place and we're really going to have to keep an eye on her," he chuckles. "We're going to go now; we have to celebrate Jess taking her first steps. Dile adiós a mamá, Jessie," Grant says to his daughter.  
_ _Jessica leans forward, reaching one arm out towards the screen.  
_ _"We love you," Grant smiles. "See you soon."_

The video ends and Skye just sits staring at the smiling faces of her family.

She types a quick reply _That was amazing. I love you guys too. And tell Jess that I'm so incredibly proud of her._

 **Will do** comes his reply.

She smiles. _So, any big plans for today? Besides celebrating her first steps?_

**Kendra told me about this Annual Valentine's Day Father Daughter, Mother Son Dance that they have nearby. We'll probably go to that if Jess isn't too fussy.**

_Well I expect loads and loads of cute pictures if you guys end up going._

**I promise. I should probably go now, but I love you and I can't wait to see you next month.**

_I love you too._

"Skye? Are you alright?"

Looking up from her phone, she looks over to see Hunter looking at her with concern written on his face.

"What? Yeah. Why do you ask?"

"You've uh, you've got some tears on your face," he motions to her cheeks.

Skye quickly wipes at her face, "Oh, um, it's nothing, I promise. I'm perfectly fine."

Hunter gives her a skeptical look, "If you insist."

She gives him a small smile, "I do. I'm fine, Hunter, really. I'm just thinking about something. But it's nothing that you need to worry about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you all think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Anymore guesses? Next chapter is where you find out who finds out first. :)
> 
> *You look so beautiful  
> Merry Christmas  
> Come here  
> Very good  
> Say goodbye to mommy, Jessie*
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. As of right now, I only have one more final left to do. I took my Bio 101 final this morning and tomorrow I have my Personal Finance final. Then my family is picking me up on Friday. I'm so happy.
> 
> And now, the chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting for. Skye's secret comes to light for someone on the team. You've all made some great guesses, they were definitely some popular guesses. I can say though, that none of you guessed correctly. I'm going to take that as a good thing. :)
> 
> So now, the chapter. Enjoy!

_***March*** _

Feeling her phone go off next to her on the bed, Skye reaches over and picks it up. She unlocks the device and goes into the shell program, seeing an incoming video call from Grant. She hits the answer button and holds the phone up in front of her face.

A second later the call connects and Grant's and Jessica's smiling faces are filling up the screen. She smiles, "Hey, you two. What's with the video call?"

" _We were just missing you and wanted to call and say hello,"_ Grant says.

"Well that's very sweet," she replies. "And I miss the both of you too. Just a couple more weeks and then I'll be home for little miss Jessica's first birthday party," she smiles.

" _I know,"_ Grant smiles and nods. _"Did you hear that, Jessie?"_ he asks his daughter, turning his head to look at her. _"Mommy's coming home soon for your birthday party."_

Jessica leans towards the screen. _"Mmm. Mmm."_

"What's she doing?" Skye asks with a small smile on her face.

" _You know, I'm not too sure. Obviously you know how she's been babbling a lot more over the last few months, but for the last few days or so she's been doing that. I'm not exactly sure what it is, though."_

"Ah, well it's very cute either way."

" _Yes it is,"_ Grant smiles. _"I can't wait to see you in person again."_

"Same for me about you," Skye smiles back.

" _Mmm. Mmmm. Mmm."_ Jessica interrupts them, leaning towards the screen again. She reaches a hand out and Grant moves the phone back a little so she can't touch it.

" _What are you doing, Jess?"_ he asks the little girl.

" _Mamá,"_ she says, reaching for the screen again.

Grant and Skye both freeze. They look at each other, then at Jess, and then back to each other.

"Did she just…" Skye trails off.

Grant nods, _"Yeah, I think she did."_ He looks at his daughter while he points at the screen, _"Jessie, ¿quién es ese? Who is that?"_

" _Mamá,"_ she repeats, a smile on her face. _"Mamá."_

Skye beams with tears shining in her eyes, "Yeah, baby girl, I'm mamá. And I am so proud of you."

" _This is incredible,"_ Grant smiles, pressing a kiss to Jessica's cheek. _"Her first word. And in Spanish too."_

"I think we can have you to thank for that," Skye tells him. "You're always talking to her in Spanish. It's cute though. I like that her first word was mom in Spanish. Makes it a little bit more special, I think."

" _Most definitely,"_ Grant nods.

* * *

"Agent Morse, Agent Hunter."

The agents in question turn away from their discussion to see Coulson standing in front of them.

"Sir," Bobbi nods her head once in acknowledgement.

"I have an assignment for the both of you," Coulson tells them. "Follow me," he turns and makes his way out of the room, Bobbi and Hunter quickly falling into step behind him.

"What's the assignment, sir?" Bobbi asks.

"I need you to tail someone," he begins to explain. "You are to follow them and observe them quietly; where they go, who they talk to, what they do, and then report your findings back to me. Is that clear?"

Bobbi nods her head in understanding, "Crystal. Who exactly will we be tailing, sir?"

Coulson stops and sighs, turning around to face the two agents, "Agent Johnson."

"I'm sorry," Hunter speaks up, "I don't think I heard you right."

"You heard me very clearly, Agent Hunter."

"But why Skye, sir?" Bobbi asks. "She's one of ours. Why do you want us tailing her?"

"Because I'm concerned about her," Coulson admits. "Skye took a pretty long vacation which I can understand just fine; sometimes this job can be too much to handle. But she keeps leaving every few months since she got back and when she's here, it's almost as if she doesn't really want to be here. Like she'd rather be wherever it is that she goes when she leaves."

"Have you thought about just asking her what's going on?" Bobbi suggests.

"You know, that's actually a brilliant idea," Hunter says. "People usually prefer it when you _ask_ them things about their personal life instead of having them _followed_ , especially women. I've learned that the hard way more times than I'd care to admit."

"I've tried to talk to her, but she just says it's nothing and that I shouldn't worry. Skye's always been a bit stubborn; she's not going to tell me what's going on if I keep pestering her about it. That's why I need you both to do this for me. But if you're not up for it, I can always find someone else to do it and—"

"No," Bobbi cuts him off. "It's fine, sir. We'll do it."

Coulson nods, "Good. Skye asked for a couple of days off at the end of the week. You're both to follow her while keeping your distance and observe what she's doing. Then come back here and report to me what you find out."

"Yes sir," Bobbi nods.

Coulson looks back and forth between the two agents before turning around and making his way down the hallway.

"Are we really going to spy on our friend?" Hunter asks.

Bobbi sighs, "Well we don't really have a choice in this, Hunter."

"Still, it seems wrong."

"That's because it is," Bobbi says and then turns and walks away.

* * *

"You do know how _massively_ uncomfortable I am with this, right?" Hunter asks Bobbi as they follow behind Skye's SUV in their own smaller car, watching as she turns onto a residential street.

"And you think I'm not?" Bobbi asks, turning the corner and following Skye down the street. "Skye's our friend; I'm not really okay with any of this either. But I guess it's better that it's me and you following her instead of some brand new agents."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. What do you think she was doing at that store earlier?"

Bobbi shrugs, "I don't know. It was Target, she could have been doing anything while she was there. Now be quiet, she's parking."

Bobbi stops across the street and a few houses down from where Skye pulled her SUV into a driveway.

"And what the hell's she doing in the middle of suburbia?" Hunter asks with furrowed brows.

Bobbi sighs, "I don't know. That's why we're here; to find out what she does when she takes all of her personal days."

Hunter nods, "Right, yeah."

They both watch as Skye climbs out of the car, stopping at the edge of the front yard as a small child toddles over in her direction.

"She looks awfully happy to see that baby," Hunter comments as Skye bends down to pick up the child and hold her in her arms, spinning her around and planting kisses to her face.

"A lot of people like babies," Bobbi tells him. "It's not really that much of a surprise that Skye does too."

"Well then who's that guy?" Hunter points out the window to the tall dark haired man making his way over to Skye.

Bobbi furrows her brows in thought as the man embraces Skye with a hug and kiss on the lips, "I don't know for sure, but I swear I've seen his face somewhere before."

"I'm sure you have, love," Hunter replies. "Oh, she seems to be the one in charge, no surprise there," he remarks with a chuckle as Skye smiles at the man and then jerks her head behind her to the car. The man smiles and nods his head, heading for the car as Skye carries the small child through the front door of the house.

"So are we done then?" Hunter asks as the dark haired man carries a black bag on one shoulder and a large wrapped box in his hands up to the house, shutting the door behind him.

"I don't know," Bobbi purses her lips. "I feel like there's a lot more going on here than just what we're seeing. And I know for a fact that I've seen that man before. I just can't figure out where."

"So then how long are we going to sit here?"

"For however long it takes to figure out what's going on."

...

"People have been going into that house for the past hour and no one's come back out yet," Bobbi says. "And they've all been carrying gifts. Clearly there's some kind of party going on here."

"Remarkable deduction skills, Sherlock," Hunter says from his seat, his head leaning back against the headrest with his eyes closed.

Bobbi turns her head towards him, "You haven't even been watching for the past two hours."

Hunter sighs and sits up, "Did you see how she acted towards that man and the little baby? Skye obviously has a secret family that she doesn't want anyone else to know about. That's why she's always leaving and looking so interested in her phone all the time. Way more interested than any tech person I've ever met."

Bobbi narrows her eyes, "There's no way that any of that is true. Skye would have told us if she had a family."

"Clearly you don't understand the concept of a 'secret family', Bob. Now come on," he reaches behind him to grab the door handle and pushes the door open, climbing out of the vehicle.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hisses.

"Finding out if I'm right," he grins, shutting the door and then crossing the street to make his way up to the house.

Bobbi curses under her breath before climbing out of the car and jogging to catch up with him.

The two make their way up to the front door of the house and stop on the porch when they see a colorful sign attached to the front door **WELCOME TO JESSICA KATHERINE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY. COME STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HOUSE AND INTO THE BACKYARD FOR THE PARTY :)**

Bobbi and Hunter share a quick look before pushing open the front door and making their way into the small home.

"Do you think this Jessica Katherine is the little girl Skye was hugging outside earlier?" Hunter asks.

"I'm going to go with yes," Bobbi says, pointing to a few photos hanging on the wall, most of them containing the little girl in question.

"Well should we keep going out to the party? Or should we just go back to the car and leave?"

Bobbi sighs, "We've already come this far. Might as well keep going."

Hunter nods his head in agreement and the two make their way through the rest of the house and towards the back door.

Stepping up to the sliding glass door, they peer outside to see a backyard full of adults and kids, a barbecue grill is set up to one side of the yard and a table full of gifts is set up on the other side.

Bobbi steps down onto the small porch, her eyes scanning the yard for Skye. She finally spots her sitting in a lawn chair talking with a raven haired woman and a blond woman.

"Skye," she calls out.

She watches as Skye freezes and the smile falls from her face as she turns her head towards them.

"Bobbi? Hunter? What are you guys doing here? How— _how_ are you here?"

"Mamá!"

They watch as Skye turns her head towards the little girl approaching her and lifts her into her lap. "Hey angel," she smiles at the girl and presses a kiss to her temple. "What happened to your clothes?"

The little girl just smiles.

"I'm so sorry, Skye," the man from earlier in the front yard says as he approaches Skye. "She found the mud hole I've been working on filling in and decided it would be a good place to play in it."

Skye smiles up at him, "It's fine. We'll clean her up later because the moment I set her down she's just going to go right back for it."

"Yeah, you're right," he smiles and nods his head.

"Trevor used to do the same thing," the woman with blonde hair smiles at Skye. "Always getting into the dirtiest things he can find. It was a miracle if we could keep him clean for more than an hour."

"Jess is definitely proving to be one who's not afraid to get dirty," the man next to Skye chuckles.

"She really is her father's daughter," Skye smiles up at him. He just smiles back at her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as he rests one hand on the back of her chair.

Bobbi's eyes go wide when she finally recognizes him, "Ward?"

The man in question stiffens and turns in their direction. His brows furrow, "Who—"

He's cut off when Skye places a hand on his upper arm, "Not here." She looks up at the two agents, "Inside." She turns towards the woman next to her, "Kara, could you keep an eye on Jess for me?"

"Sure thing," the woman smiles. "Come here, my little ladybug," she reaches out to take the little girl into her arms, immediately wrapping her in a hug and pressing kisses all over her face, making the little girl squirm and squeal.

Bobbi and Hunter watch as Skye whispers something to Grant and then retreat back into the house when they start making their way towards them.

"Okay," Skye breathes out when she and Grant get inside the house and slide the door almost all the way closed. She turns towards Hunter and Bobbi, "Why the _hell_ are you two here and how did you find this place?"

"It was Coulson," Bobbi answers without hesitation. "He ordered us to tail you because he's concerned about you. We didn't really want to, but if it wasn't us then it probably would have been someone else."

"Damn it, Coulson," Skye mutters.

"Wait, Coulson?" Grant asks. He looks at Bobbi and Hunter and raises a brow, "You two are SHIELD?"

Bobbi nods her head, "Yeah. And you were too, if the stories I've heard about you are accurate."

"Well that all depends on what stories you've heard," Grant says, leaning against the wall next to him and crossing his arms over his chest. "What exactly have people been saying about me these days?"

"That you're a crazy murdering psychopath who doesn't care about anyone or anything he comes in contact with," Hunter answers bluntly. "And that was the nicest thing that's been said about you."

Grant sighs and chuckles, "I'm not at all surprised by that. Everyone in SHIELD sure knows how to hold a grudge." He looks at Bobbi, "I recognize you. What's your name?"

"Barbara Morse. But I go by Bobbi."

"I thought you looked kind of familiar. I think I've seen you around once or twice."

Bobbi nods her head, "Same for you. I recognized you when I saw the two of you outside. But it took me a while to actually place your name. Your success rate on missions was always one of the best. Some even said you were like the next Romanoff."

Grant shrugs, "All of that is in my past. I'm a family man now." He pushes off the wall and steps towards Skye, wrapping an arm around her waist and allowing her to lean back against him.

"Right," Hunter says slowly. "That's actually what we were a bit curious about."

"Yeah," Bobbi nods. "When exactly did...this happen?" she gestures between the two of them. "Because the last I remember, Skye, you were saying how much you hated him."

Skye chuckles, "Yeah, well, things kind of changed."

"And what she means by that is that she found out she was pregnant," Grant smiles.

"And when was that?" Bobbi asks.

"July of last year," Skye says. "I came out here in August and stayed for the rest of my pregnancy and then for another month after Jess was born so I could work on getting my weight back down to around what it was before I got pregnant so no one would notice."

"And how long have you two been together?" Bobbi asks.

"Well we made it official on New Year's last year, but we said 'I love you' for the first time this New Years. But before I got pregnant we'd been secretly sleeping together for a few months."

"Wow," Hunter breathes out. "I don't think any of us would have guessed that one."

"So you got pregnant, stayed out here to have the baby, then left her here with him and came back to the base?" Bobbi asks.

Grant's jaw clenches, "You don't have to say it like that. Ask anyone here and they'll tell you I am a _damn_ good father to my daughter."

"Grant, relax," Skye places a hand on his arm. "Why don't you go back outside and hang out with Jess, okay? Make sure everyone is having a good time."

Grant glares once more at Hunter and Bobbi before dropping a kiss to Skye's temple and making his way back outside.

Bobbi shifts on her feet, "So, were you ever planning on telling anyone at SHIELD about all of this?"

"Not anytime soon," Skye admits. "It's just…well there's no chance it would go over too well with most of the people there. The minute Coulson sees Grant he would try to have him locked up or something worse. And I really don't need the father of my child to be in prison for the rest of his life or six feet underground. Plus, I don't want Jess around SHIELD. And I can't really leave yet, not until I know for a fact that my team can handle themselves without me being there and I pick someone to take over for me."

"And how long do you think that'll take?" Bobbi asks.

Skye sighs, "Honestly? I don't know. Hopefully not too much longer."

Bobbi nods her head, "We get it."

"You're not going to tell Coulson about this, are you?" Skye asks.

Bobbi thinks for a moment, shares a look with Hunter, and then shakes her head, "No, we won't tell him."

Skye lets out a sigh, "Oh thank you so much."

"No problem," Bobbi smiles. "But there's just one condition."

"What is it?" Skye asks.

"We want to meet your little troublemaker."

Skye smiles, "I think that can definitely be arranged. Follow me," she gestures with her head towards the back door and makes her way back outside, Bobbi and Hunter following right behind her.

...

"Can you believe our little girl is already a year old?" Skye asks her boyfriend as they stand in the doorway to Jessica's bedroom, watching her sleep soundly with her stuffed ladybug tucked right up against her.

Grant shakes his head, "It's honestly so hard to believe. It seems like just yesterday we were holding her for the first time in the hospital."

Skye nods, "I know what you mean. She's just getting so big. She's already walking and starting to talk."

"Our baby girl is growing up, Skye."

She lets out a sigh, "I know."

Grant steps forward and pulls the bedroom door closed quietly. He turns towards Skye and grabs her hand in his, gently tugging her towards the bedroom. "Come on, let's go to bed. It's been a long day."

She quietly nods her head and laces their fingers together, allowing him to pull her into their room.

"So, do you really think that Bobbi and Hunter are going to keep all of this a secret for us?" Grant asks after a moment as they're changing into their pajamas.

Skye nods her head as she pulls on a tank top, "Yeah, I do. I trust them. I think they'll respect our wishes to keep you and Jess a secret from SHIELD. I just wish that everyone there didn't have such a grudge against you. I know they'd all absolutely fall in love with Jess if they met her, but as soon as they saw you everything they feel about what happened would just come racing back to the surface and cause too many problems. And I really don't want to imagine what would happen then."

"Hey, whoa," Grant says, stepping towards her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Don't talk like that, okay? Nothing's going to happen. You trust them and I trust you. If you say they aren't going to say anything to anyone then I believe you."

Skye smiles up at him, "I don't deserve you."

"Well too bad, you're stuck with me," he smiles.

She rises up onto her toes and ghosts her lips over his, "That's perfectly fine with me." She wraps her arms around his neck and presses her lips to his, smiling into the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Alright. So Bobbi and Hunter know Skye's secret and are going to help her keep it. See what I mean when I said no one guessed correctly. You all had some pretty good guesses, though.  
> In this story, like I said at the beginning of the first chapter, Ward never kidnapped Bobbi and tortured her, so Bobbi and Hunter don't really have any kind of personal grudge against him. And out of everyone on the team, I'm pretty sure these two are the most qualified for tailing someone without being seen, besides May. Also, I have some really great interactions between these two and Jess coming up that I'm excited about. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya! Thanks for all the love on the last chapter. Glad you're all enjoying it. And yes, Bobbi and Hunter were the first to find out. I'm thinking about bringing another character in on the secret soon, but I've gotta rework a certain chapter to do that, and I'm still deciding if I actually want to do that or not.
> 
> Also, I'M HOME NOW! My family came up to my school yesterday to pick me up and now I'm home for the summer. :)
> 
> And now, enjoy!

**_*April*_ **

"...and then hopefully we can catch this new Inhuman before he does something else reckless that accidentally causes damage to himself or anyone around him. He's most likely scared of what's happening to him, as we all were when we changed, so we need to be extra cautious when approaching him; we don't know what will set him off," Skye finishes explaining to her team as she stands in the center of the briefing room behind the holocom. "Any questions?"

Everyone stays silent and looks around at each other.

"Nothing?" Skye asks. She lets out a breath, "Alright then. Everybody gear up and be down in the hanger ready to head out in ten."

Everyone nods their heads and then makes their way out of the briefing room.

Skye turns off the large monitor in the room and is about to step out when her phone goes off from its place in her pocket.

She pulls her phone out and unlocks it, opening up the shell program to find a new text from Grant **Please don't be mad at me for this. I took Jess to the park today and she became pretty close friends with a dog and got really sad when she had to say goodbye to him.**

 **So say hello to the newest member of our little family. He reminded me of the dog I used to have so I named him Buddy Jr. But I guess we can just call him Buddy.** A picture attached to the message shows Jessica sitting on the living room carpet, a wide smile on her face as she hugs a small chocolate lab around its neck.

Skye just smiles and shakes her head at the picture. She quickly types back a reply _You are completely unbelievable, Grant Ward._

**Why thank you. :)**

**So you aren't mad?**

_No, I'm not mad, not really. I just hope that you can take care of a toddler AND a puppy by yourself while I'm here._

**Trust me, Skye. I've dealt with way more difficult situations than this one; I think I can handle all of this perfectly fine.**

_You better be able to. Because I'm not planning on coming back until next month. So you're on your own with the baby and the puppy until I come home again._

**I know, I know. We really miss you, by the way.**

_I really miss you guys, too. I have to go now because I've got a new mission that's really high priority but I'll talk to you soon._

**Okay. Stay safe out there.**

_I will. I love you._

**I love you too.**

Skye closes out of the program and locks her phone, sliding it back into her pocket. She picks her tablet up off of the holo table and then makes her way out of the room.

* * *

**_*May*_ **

"Grant?" Skye calls into the house as she steps through the front door, shutting and locking it behind her. "I'm home." Hearing noises coming from the back of the house, she drops her bag and keys onto the couch and then makes her way through the house and towards the back door.

She steps through the door and down into the grass, smiling at the sight of Grant and Jessica running around in the yard, the small brown puppy trailing around behind Jessica, letting out small yips as he jumps up in the air.

"Is there room for one more in this game?" Skye questions as she takes a few steps forward.

"Mamá!" Jessica shrieks and then wobbles over through the grass towards her.

Skye smiles as she bends down to pick up her daughter and settle her on her hip. "Hello, my beautiful little angel," she greets her daughter with a kiss to her cheek. "I missed you so much."

Jessica grins, wrapping her small arms around Skye's neck and giving her a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

Skye laughs and adjusts Jessica slightly on her hip, and then crosses through the grass over to Grant.

"Hi there," she smiles up at him.

"Hi," he smiles back, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her into a kiss.

"Dad!" Jessica exclaims, reaching one of her hands out and putting it on his cheek.

Grant pulls out of the kiss and looks at Jessica, "Hi angel."

"Mamá," she smiles, leaning her head against Skye's shoulder.

Grant smiles and nods, "Sí. Es mamá. Did you miss mamá?"

Jessica just smiles, closing her eyes and leaning her head on Skye's shoulder.

Skye smiles and presses a kiss to her daughters' head, running one hand up and down her back.

"I'm really glad you're here," Grant tells her.

She smiles up at him, "Me too."

...

"Not going to lie, I definitely miss bath time and bed time while I'm gone," Skye speaks up as she carries a freshly bathed and pajama clad Jessica out into the living room. She sets the toddler down on the carpet, watching with a small smile on her face as Jessica toddles over to Buddy and sits down next to him, immediately pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss. "It's just one of those things that you didn't think you'd actually miss doing until you can't do it," she tells Grant as she moves to sit down next to him on the couch.

"I think I'll take your word for it," he replies, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Skye leans her head on Grant's shoulder, pulling her legs up underneath of her. "I just miss getting to do all of the little things while I'm away. The things that most parents take for granted."

Grant smiles, "And that's what makes you such a good mom. You're so great about doing everything you possibly can while you're here to make up for all the time that you're gone."

Skye sighs, "I know. Do you think Jess notices how often I'm gone?"

"I'm sure she's starting to pick up on it. She doesn't really say a whole lot, mainly because she can't speak in full sentences yet, but I'm sure she takes notice that you're gone most of the time. But to her, I don't think it seems like that much time at all. I think she's used to it, in a way, knowing that some days you're here and some days you aren't."

"I really wish it didn't have to be that way," she tells him.

"Well that's all up to you," he replies. "You're the one who decides when to leave SHIELD and come stay here with us permanently. And as much as I wish you would decide that right now, I know I can't force you to do anything about it yet."

"I just want to be absolutely sure with my decision," she says. "I have to really be sure about who I pick to handle the team when I leave. I have to know that they'll be able to handle themselves and the team without me there."

"Didn't they do okay when you were here while you were pregnant?" he asks.

Skye nods, "Yeah, they did. But they knew I was coming back so they weren't too worried about a whole lot, and I checked in a couple of times with them too. But this next time, I won't be going back, and I won't be checking in, so they won't be able to rely on me. I just want to know that they're really ready before I leave permanently. This project was mine; Coulson gave it to me to oversee all of these Inhumans. I can't just pick someone at random and then leave. I have to know that whoever I choose to takeover is going to do a good job and will be able to handle all the responsibility that goes along with leading this team. I'm slowly easing them into handling certain things without my help, to kind of see where they're at and who would do a good job taking over my place once I finally end up leaving."

"All signs of a great leader," he tells her. "And I'm sure you'll figure everything out soon," he drops a kiss to the top of her head.

Skye sighs, "I really hope so." She looks over at her daughter playing on the floor, talking nonsense with Buddy. "Jessie."

Jessica looks up at Skye and smiles, "Hi."

Skye smiles back, "Hi, baby. Come here."

Jessica stands up from the floor and toddles over to Skye, stopping when she's in front of the couch. Skye reaches down and lifts the little girl up into her lap, brushing some of her wet hair back out of her face and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"So, I think it's just about time for you to go to bed," Skye tells her daughter.

"Canta, mamá. Sing."

Skye smiles, "You want me to sing to you?"

Jessica nods her head, "Sí."

"Well I think that can definitely be arranged," Skye says. "Let's get you all tucked into bed and then we'll pick a song to sing." Skye looks at Grant, "Are you going to join us?"

Grant breathes in, "I don't know. Jess, should I join you and mommy for a bedtime song?"

Jessica nods again, "Sí."

"Well then, it looks like I'm going to join you two," Grant smiles.

"Come on then," Skye says to him, standing up from the couch and holding Jessica on her hip. Grant stands up as well and wraps an arm around Skye as they make their way down to Jessica's room, Buddy trailing right behind them.

* * *

**_*June*_ **

"Hey," Bobbi smiles at Skye as she sits down next to her on the couch.

"Hey," Skye smiles back. "What's up?"

Bobbi shrugs, "Not much. How are Ward and Jessica?"

"They're doing pretty well," Skye smiles. "And by the way, Grant told me to tell you and Hunter that you guys can call him by his first name. Even though he didn't say it explicitly, I think it's kind of his way of really trying to let go of everything that's happened and move past it all."

Bobbi nods her head, "Duly noted." She takes a breath, "So, how are Grant and Jessica?"

"Well, like I said before, they're doing pretty well. And I know I was just there for a few days last month, but I miss them so much each time I come back here. It kind of sucks."

"That's completely understandable," Bobbi says. "They're your family and you love them."

Skye nods her head, "Yeah, I really do."

Skye's phone goes off in her pocket and she pulls it out to read the new text in the shell program from Grant **Went to find Jess to give her a bath and I found this.** A picture is attached to the message, showing Jessica and Buddy curled up together on Jessica's bedroom floor, both of them fast asleep.

"Aww," Skye smiles. "That's so cute."

"What is it?" Bobbi asks.

Skye looks up at her friend, "I told you how Grant bought Jess a puppy two months ago, right?"

Bobbi nods her head, "Yeah, I think so."

"Well look at this," Skye turns her phone so Bobbi can see the photo.

"Oh that is way too cute," Bobbi smiles.

"Right?" Skye smiles. She pulls the phone back in front of her and types out a reply _That is just way too cute, Grant. And Bobbi completely agrees with me on that._

**I'm glad you both think so.**

**How are you doing?**

_I'm doing alright. But I really miss you and Jess._

**We miss you too. But you're still coming up for the Fourth, right?**

_Yeah, hopefully. And Bobbi and Hunter are planning on coming too. We just have to figure out a way to do it so no one gets suspicious about the three of us leaving._

**I'm sure you'll come up with something; you're all trained for stuff like this. I'm going to go now, but I'll talk to you soon. I love you.**

_Okay. Love you too._

Locking her phone, Skye sets it down in her lap and looks at Bobbi, "You and Hunter are still planning on coming over for the Fourth, right?"

Bobbi nods, "Yeah. It's not like there's much to do around here for the holidays anyways. And a barbecue should be pretty fun."

"Great. Then in that case we need to figure out the best strategy for all of us to get out of here without anyone getting suspicious of any of it."

Bobbi nods her head, "Yes we do. And do you know what would be the best way to figure that out?"

"What?" Skye asks.

"Coffee," Bobbi smiles.

Skye grins, "Yes please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> For those who are interested, I'm working on a special project for the ever so lovely Brett Dalton. If you're interested, let me know and I can give you some more details. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Glad you're all enjoying this so far. Makes me really happy to hear all your thoughts about each chapter. :) 
> 
> Now for the chapter. Enjoy!

**_*July*_**  
"So are you excited for the barbecue coming up?" Bobbi asks Skye as the two women spar together down in the gym.

Skye ducks one of Bobbi's punches, sending one of her own in the tall blonde's direction, "Honestly? I think I'm way more excited to see my daughter and my boyfriend than I am to see a bunch of chemicals mixed together and exploding above me."

Bobbi nods her head as she sidesteps another blow, "That makes sense. But you have to admit that you're still a little bit excited for the fireworks."

Skye gives her a small smile, "Maybe a little bit. But I'm way more excited to see Grant and Jess."

"Well I think Hunter is mostly excited for all the food he's going to be able to eat," Bobbi laughs as she throws another punch at Skye.

Skye laughs, "Sounds just like him." She thrusts one of her hands out and sends a pulse wave forward that knocks Bobbi off of her feet, her back hitting hard against the mat.

Bobbi looks up at Skye, breathing heavily, "I think that's considered cheating."

Skye shrugs, "I have to shower and get my things packed before I leave later."

"Right," Bobbi nods. "Of course."

Skye reaches out a hand to help Bobbi up from the mat, "I still wish we had an extra room for you guys to stay in while you're visiting."

Bobbi waves her off and goes for her water bottle, "It's fine, really. We'll be okay staying in a motel room for the night." She unscrews the cap and takes a drink.

"Still," Skye says, moving over to the bench to grab her water bottle. "I've actually been meaning to talk to Grant about finding us a bigger place. He's probably going to get all weird though, because that one is his safe house, but eventually it's going to feel way too crowded. Or you know, maybe we can just expand it; add on an extra room or something." She lifts her bottle to her lips and takes a swig of water.

"That sounds like a discussion I would not want to be a part of," Bobbi smiles as she begins unwrapping her hands.

"Yeah, I think I might save it for after the holiday," Skye muses. She takes a deep breath, "Well I'm going to go get in a quick shower, then change, finish packing, eat something, and then head out. You and Hunter are heading out tomorrow, right?"

Bobbi nods her head, "That is the plan, yes."

"And you know how to get there?"

Bobbi nods again, "Mm-hmm. Now go and do what you have to do so you don't get there too late. I'm going to stay in here and work out a little longer."

Skye smiles, "Alright, I'll see you guys tomorrow." She turns around and makes her way out of the gym and towards her bathroom for a shower.

* * *

"Skye, can you get the door?" Grant calls from within the kitchen.

"Already on it," Skye calls back as she makes her way into the front room carrying Jessica on her hip. She pulls the front door open and smiles when she sees Hunter and Bobbi standing on the front porch. "Hey guys, come on in," she steps back and allows her two friends to enter the house.

"Jessie, look who's here," Skye smiles at her daughter as she closes the front door. "It's Aunt Bobbi."

Bobbi looks at Skye and raises a brow, "Aunt Bobbi?"

Skye shrugs, "It just feels right. You don't mind it, do you? I realize now that I probably should have asked you first before just sticking you with that. It's just…I don't have any siblings of my own and if you asked Grant he'd probably tell you pretty much the same thing. I mean, she has her Auntie Kara, but I like the idea of her having more than one aunt or uncle."

Bobbi smiles and shakes her head, "It's fine, Skye, I really don't mind. I actually think it'll be kind of nice to be considered somebody's aunt." She turns her attention back to the little girl and smiles at her, "Hey, Jess. How are you, sweetie? Do you remember me? I came to your birthday party."

Jessica tilts her head to the side for a moment before getting a small smile on her face and quickly leaning forward in Skye's arms, her tiny hands reaching out for Bobbi as she makes a small grunting noise.

Skye laughs, "Looks like she remembers you."

"Looks like it," Bobbi smiles, taking the little girl into her arms and giving her a hug. She pulls back to look at Jessica, "Hi Jess, can you say Bobbi?"

"Bob!" Jessica shouts with a smile on her face.

"Normally I might be a little upset with someone else calling you Bob because that's what I call you, but I think I can let it slide this time around." Hunter smiles over at Jessica, "Hi sweetheart, I'm your Uncle Lance."

"Why Uncle Lance?" Skye asks him. "Why not Uncle Hunter? That's what everyone calls you."

"Exactly. Everyone calls me Hunter. And besides, don't most uncles usually go by their first name instead of their last?"

Skye shrugs, "I don't know. I've never had an uncle. Or an aunt."

"Right, well, you lot are still going to call me by my last name." He looks back at Jessica, "I'm your Uncle Lance, sweetheart. Can you say Lance?" Jessica just looks at him. He sighs, "Figures." He takes a deep breath and looks at Skye, "Now then, I distinctly remember you inviting us here for a party, not just to stand here trying to get your child to say my name."

"Yes," Skye nods. "Kendra and Ian are already here because Ian and Jess really wanted to have a play date this morning, but there's still a couple of hours left until everyone else will probably start arriving. You guys can go hang out in the backyard while Grant and I finish getting things ready for when everyone else shows up. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Bobbi smiles.

"Jess!"

Everyone in the room turns toward the back door to see little Ian standing outside, leaning in the door.

"Ian!" Jessica shouts back, reaching out towards him.

"Hold on, kiddo," Bobbi laughs quietly, setting the little girl down on the kitchen floor.

Once her feet hit the floor, Jessica darts over to Ian, crouching down in front of him. After a moment Ian backs away from the door so Jessica can climb down and then they run off together into the backyard.

"Be careful you two," Kendra calls out to the kids as she makes her way to the back door. She leans back against the doorway so she can still keep an eye on the kids. "Those two are like peas in a pod," she smiles, looking up at Skye.

"Yes they are," Skye nods. "Kendra, you remember Bobbi and Hunter, right? They were at Jess' birthday party."

"Oh, yes, of course. The two party crashers," she teases.

"That's us," Bobbi says.

"Well it's great to see you two again," she smiles kindly.

"You too," Bobbi smiles back. "We didn't get to talk that much at Jess' party, but I could tell from the moment I met you that you're a good person."

"Oh, well thank you. That's very nice of you to say."

Bobbi waves her off, "Don't mention it."

"Bob!"

"I think that's my cue," Bobbi says in response to Jessica's call for her. She looks at Hunter and gestures with her head to the backyard, "Come on." She makes her way out the door with Hunter following closely behind her.

"I like those two," Kendra says as she watches Bobbi lift Jessica into the air making the little girl giggle and Hunter chuckle when Ian attacks his legs.

"So do we," Skye says back. "I've worked with them for a couple years now and they've become really close friends of mine. Even though they didn't find out exactly how I would have liked, I'm glad they're in Jess' life. Sadly, they're the only ones from work who know about Grant and Jess."

"Ah, yes," Kendra nods, "the bad blood you told me about between Grant and most of your colleagues."

"Yeah. Bobbi and Hunter didn't really start working there until after Grant left, but that doesn't mean the others didn't tell stories. I think that's one of the reasons I didn't really want to tell anyone, not even Bobbi and Hunter."

"Well that's too bad," Kendra frowns. "You're a great guy, Grant," she smiles over at him. "And I've seen you with Jessica, you're a great father. I'm sure they'd be able to put their differences with you aside if they how great of a family man you are."

"Thank you, Kendra," Grant smiles appreciatively.

"Anytime," Kendra smiles. She takes a deep breath, "Well I'm going to go and join them outside, leave you two to finish up in here."

"Alright," Skye says. "We're pretty much almost done here, I think."

"Great," Kendra smiles and then pushes off of the doorframe, making her way out into the backyard.

...

"Jessica," Skye calls out to her daughter across the yard. "Come here, angel. The fireworks are going to start soon."

Jessica toddles over to Skye through the grass and stops in front of her, grabbing a fistful of Skye's jeans in her tiny hands to try and pull herself up.

"Do you want some help up, baby girl?" Skye asks.

Jessica lets out a small frustrated grunt and continues to try and pull herself up.

"Come here," Skye smiles and grabs Jessica under her arms, lifting her up and setting her down in her lap, allowing the little girl to lean back against her chest.  
She reaches behind her and grabs the blanket off the back of the chair and drapes it across herself and Jessica, making sure the little girl is perfectly comfortable.

"I didn't miss anything exciting, did I?" Grant asks as he approaches them from the back of the house.

Skye looks up at him and shakes her head, "Nope. The show hasn't started yet."

"Good," he breathes out.

"¡Papá!" Jessica shouts when she sees him.

"Hey Jess," he smiles at his daughter as he sits down in the chair between Skye and Kara. "Buddy is safe inside his kennel," he tells his girlfriend.

"Thank you for doing that," Skye says back. "I've heard that dogs, especially puppies, don't usually do too well around fireworks."

"Mamá," Jessica says, turning her head to look at Skye. "Buddy."

Skye smoothes some of Jessica's hair back out of her face, "Buddy's inside, baby. He wouldn't like being around all the loud fireworks so daddy put him in his kennel."

A loud popping makes Jessica jump and whip her head around. Two more pops follow and Jessica's eyes go wide at all of the bright colors in the dark sky above her. "¡Mamá!" she shouts, looking at Skye and pointing upwards.

"I see, baby," Skye smiles. "Keep watching."

Jessica turns around and leans back against Skye's chest, reaching one hand back to grab a piece of Skye's hair to gently play with as she watches the fireworks.

"I'm glad you, Hunter, and Bobbi were able to come down," Grant says into her ear.

She looks at him and smiles, "Me too." She gives him a quick kiss on the lips before settling back in her seat, leaning her head on his shoulder as she turns her attention to the different colors lighting up the night sky above.

...

"Thank goodness she can sleep through just about anything," Skye says as she walks into the bedroom after having put Jessica in her crib. "Because if she couldn't then those fireworks probably would have kept her awake all night." She quickly changes into a pair of shorts and a tank top before moving over to the bed and pulling back the covers to climb in beside Grant. She immediately lies down and curls into his side, resting her head on his bare chest and draping an arm across his torso.

He smiles down at her and wraps an arm around her shoulders to hold her close, "She definitely gets being able to sleep through anything from you."

She laughs quietly, "And I also hate waking up super early. Which I'm kind of hoping she does not inherit from me, otherwise mornings will definitely not be enjoyable once she's a teenager."

"Well then I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But let's hope for the best," Grant replies.

Things are quiet between them for a moment before Skye speaks up again, tilting her head back to look at him, "I think we should do some remodeling."

"Huh?"

"Remodeling," she repeats, shifting a little on the bed so she can look at him better. "I know it's just the three of us right now, but pretty soon this place might start to feel a little cramped."

"Now, I'm not agreeing to this on the spot, but what exactly did you have in mind?" Grant asks.

"Well I was thinking that we could just add on an extra room or two, like guest rooms. For if Kara needs to crash here for a couple nights, or for when Bobbi and Hunter come and visit. Of course, it all depends on how much space we'd actually have to be able to expand."

Grant thinks for a moment before he takes a deep breath. He looks down at Skye, "Tell you what, why don't you come up with a couple of different mock ups for what you might like to do to the house and send them to me. After you leave tomorrow I'll start looking into seeing how much it would actually cost to do remodeling and what exactly we'd be allowed to do."

She smiles at him, "You really mean it?"

He nods his head, "I really mean it."

"You are the absolute best," she beams. She leans forward and gives him a quick kiss, "I love you so much."

"I love you too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." She settles herself back down in the bed, wrapping herself around his warmth and closing her eyes, letting sleep overtake her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> For those of you interested, I'm working on a project for Brett. If you're intrigued, let me know, I'd be happy to give you more info. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya! Thanks for all the love so far. I'm glad you're all enjoying this story. Especially little Jessica. :)
> 
> And now the chapter. Enjoy!

**_*August*_ **

"And I want you guys to _always_ remember to watch each other's backs when you're out there in the field, no matter what, as well as out there in the real world," Skye says to the small group of newly activated Inhumans standing in front of her in the middle of the Inhumans' training gym for powers. "This team is your family;" she looks pointedly at each of them, "you have to trust them, protect them, and watch out for them at all times, even when you're not in the field. You're going to be spending a lot of time together while you learn to control your abilities, and then, if you choose to go out into the field, it'll make missions a lot easier to complete because you've already gotten to know your teammates on a personal level. You'll be able to work fluidly, as one, without any trip ups, hopefully."

She takes a deep breath, "Alright, well that's pretty much it for today, guys. Go hit the showers and then rest up, maybe mingle with some of the others so you can get to know them and they can get to know you; we'll do some more work with your abilities tomorrow," she dismisses the people in front of her and then turns towards the bench against one of the walls.

She walks towards the bench and picks up her phone off of it, unlocking it and going straight into the shell program to find a new text from Grant with an image attached to it **Ian came over for a play date today while Kendra and Trevor went out and ran a few errands. It got pretty quiet while I was in the kitchen on my computer so I went to check on them and found them like this.** The photo shows Jessica and Ian lying together on the living room floor facing one another; one of Ian's arms is draped over Jessica with Buddy lying curled up against their feet.

Skye smiles at the photo and types back a reply _That's absolutely adorable. How's the play date going?_

**Considering the fact that they're sleeping right now, I think it's actually going really well.**

She rolls her eyes _I meant before that, dummy._

**Dummy? That's a bit of a juvenile insult, don't you think? I thought you were better than that.**

_Well I just spent three hours training a small group of teenagers who also happen to be Inhumans, so..._

**Ah, right. Well, before Jess and Ian fell asleep the play date was actually going really well. I honestly don't know if I can express how glad I am that they get along so well.**

_Me too. I'm glad Jess has someone her age living close enough to us that she can hang out with on a regular basis and that she gets along with well enough._

**I completely agree. And I think it'll definitely make things a whole lot easier when it's time for her to go to school too.**

Skye frowns _Oh my goodness, do not mention school to me right now, Grant. I can't even fathom the idea of my baby girl going to school for six hours out of the day. The idea is kind of scaring me, if I'm being completely honest with you._

**Okay, I'm sorry. But we should really start considering preschool and when and if we want her to go. I think she's still too young to go right now, and it's too late to apply for this school year anyways. But it is definitely something that we should talk about before it gets too late. I think it'll be a really good thing for her to go and spend some time away from us and socialize with other kids her age besides just Ian before kindergarten starts.**

_She's not even two yet, Grant._

**Still, it's never too early to start thinking about things like that.**

_Yeah, I guess you're right. But we'll discuss all of that at a later date. Right now I want to discuss another subject matter with you._

**And what would that be?**

_Whether or not you got the renovation mock ups that I sent you._

**Yes I got them.**

_And?_

**And I think they look really good. Those are some very solid options you created, Skye.**

_Anything else?_

**I don't know.**

_Grant…_

**Sorry, sorry. I did as I promised and looked into everything involved with home renovations. Budget wise, we should be okay as long as we don't get too crazy. Any of the options that you sent me will work and it should only take about 1 to 2 months to do all the work.**

_Really? That's it? For some reason I thought it would take longer._

**Nope.**

_Oh, well this is still pretty exciting. When do you think we should have the renovation actually done?_

**What about next spring or summer? That way it isn't too cold outside when the construction workers are here. I'd hate for something bad to happen because of the weather while they're trying to work.**

_That's actually a really good idea._

_So this is actually happening. We're adding on another room. :)_

**Yes we are.**

_This is so great._

_I would really love for nothing more than to keep talking to you right now but unfortunately I have to go and do some paperwork that I keep putting off because it's really boring._

**Well don't let me keep you from doing your work.**

_But I want you to._

**Skye…**

_Fine._

**Thank you. I'll talk to you later. I love you.**

_I love you too._

Closing out of the program, Skye locks her phone and then slides it into her back pocket as she turns and makes her way out of the room, picking her tablet up on the way out.

* * *

**_*September*_ **

Roughly sliding the door to her bunk shut, Skye locks it and then stalks over to bed, falling down onto her back against the mattress as she lets out a loud noise of frustration, the room shaking slightly as she does so.

Briefly lifting her hips up off of the bed, she pulls her cell phone out of her back pocket and unlocks it to open up the shell program, starting up a video call with Grant.

She holds the phone up in front of her face, waiting impatiently for the call to go through.

Once it finally connects, Grant's and Jessica's faces fill the entirety of the screen, both of them smiling wide at seeing her.

 _"Mamá!"_ Jessica shouts, leaning further towards the screen, her face practically pressed right up against the phone.

Skye smiles and lets out a quiet laugh, "Hey, angel."

 _"Don't get so close to the phone, Jess,"_ Grant tells the little girl, gently pulling her back away from the screen. He smiles at Skye, _"Hey beautiful. How are you?"_

She sighs, "I'm okay. Just a little frustrated is all."

_"I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it?"_

She shakes her head, "No, I don't think I want to bore you with the completely ridiculous details of all the craziness that is this entire building and all of the people in it. Thank you for the offer, though. I really appreciate it."

 _"Anytime,"_ he takes a deep breath, _"So, why are you calling?"_

She shrugs, "After today I just really wanted to see the both of you. I'm missing you both like crazy right now."

 _"We miss you like crazy, too. Don't we, Jess?"_ he looks at the little girl.

Jessica leans forward and presses her lips to the phone screen in a kiss. She leans back and grins at Skye, _"Te amo mamá."_

Skye smiles and blows a kiss at the screen, "I love you too, angel." She fixes her eyes on Grant, "And I love you as well."

He smiles back, _"And I love you. I can't wait until I get to see you in person again."_

"Next month," she reminds him. "Next month I'm coming home for Halloween. And then for Thanksgiving, if nothing gets in the way. But I am definitely coming home for Christmas and New Years."

 _"I know,"_ he nods with a smile. _"We get you three months in a row, it's kind of exciting when you really think about it. I don't think we've had you here three months in a row before. This is a very big moment for us."_

She smiles, "Well it is the holidays. And the holidays are a time for family, no matter what the particular holiday actually is. If I get to spend some time with my family then I am definitely not going to pass up the opportunity."

 _"Neither would I,"_ he smiles. _"And we are very excited to get to spend all three holidays with you."_

"So am I," Skye smiles.

_"Hey Skye? I'm going to have to let you go now because it's actually getting close to Jess' naptime right now and I also have a few things that I need to take care of. But I'll call you back a little bit later, okay?"_

She nods, "Yeah, okay."

_"And Skye?"_

"Yeah?"

_"Find a way to relax and de-stress. Please."_

"That's going to be a very difficult thing to do without you here to help me," she smirks.

He swallows thickly. _"Well then, you'll just have to find a way while you're there to de-stress without me. And then when you get home I'll help you to make sure you have no more stress at all."_

She grins, "I'm looking forward to it."

Grant just chuckles. _"Jessie,"_ he says to the little girl, shifting the camera so she's in frame, _"dile adiós a mamá."_

Jessica leans towards the screen and kisses it again. _"Adiós mamá."_

Skye smiles, "Bye, angel. Have a good nap, okay? I'll see you and daddy later. I love you."

 _"Bye, Skye,"_ Grant smiles into the screen.

"Bye," she says back and then ends the call. She rolls over and sets her on her nightstand before lying on her back again. She lets out a breath as she closes her eyes and lets her body relax into the mattress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> For those who may be interested, I'm working on a special project for Brett Dalton. If you're intrigued, let me know. I'd be happy to give you more info. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Even though I'm kind of miserable because I'm sort of sick and it really sucks. But I couldn't let that stop me from bringing you a new chapter. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_***October*** _

"Oh my goodness," Skye smiles and lets out a small laugh when she sees her daughter standing in the hallway dressed up in her Halloween costume. "You look so great, baby girl."

"Doesn't she?" Grant smiles. "She really is our little angel now."

He looks over at his daughter and smiles at the costume he and Skye picked out for her; a long sleeved white dress that goes down to her ankles, and a pair of white stockings and white dress shoes. A small golden halo is sitting on top of her head of dark hair and she's clutching a plastic pumpkin bucket in one hand.

"Jessie, look over here at me, baby," Skye says to her daughter, squatting down and holding her phone up in front of her, the camera app open and ready. "Smile big for Uncle Lance and Aunt Bobbi and Auntie Kara," she instructs.

Jessica looks up at her mom and gives her a wide toothy smile.

Skye laughs quietly and then snaps the photo, standing up straight again. She looks down at her phone screen and smiles at the photo before sending it to Hunter, Bobbi, and Kara _Happy Halloween from the cutest little angel there is. :)_

A few seconds later she gets a new text from Bobbi **Oh she is so cute. Great costume.**

_Thanks. :) We're going to head out now so we can hit a few houses before Jess gets even the tiniest bit cranky._

**Alright, have fun.**

_We'll try. :)_

Her phone chimes again with a new text from Kara **Aww! Look at how cute my little ladybug is. Come stop by my place while you're out so I can see this cute costume in person.**

Skye smiles _Don't worry, we will. We're actually about to head out so we'll see you in a little bit._

**Okay. See you soon.**

Skye closes out of the shell program and locks her phone, sliding it into her back pocket. She looks up in time to see Buddy trot into the room. She smiles, "Wow, look at you, Buddy." She looks up at Grant, "I'm guessing this part was your idea."

He smiles and nods his head, "Pretty clever, right?"

She laughs and nods, "Yeah, it kind of is." She looks down to see Buddy sitting on the floor and Jessica squatting down next to him. Buddy has a small red cape attached to his collar and a pair of red plastic horns sitting on his head. "An angel and a devil," she smiles.

"I thought it'd be pretty funny," he shrugs. "Plus, Jess really wants Buddy to go trick-or-treating with us, so I figured if he's going to go with us then he needs a costume too."

"And what about us?" she asks him. "Do we also need costumes since we're going trick-or-treating?"

"Nothing too elaborate," he tells her. "You and I will be going as Zeus and Hera."

She raises a brow, "Oh really, and how exactly are we going to do that?"

He smiles, "I got us each a tunic; yours being more fancy than mine, of course. And I got a lightning bolt for me and a small crown for you."

She looks at him for a moment before letting out a sigh, "Fine. Where is it?"

"Back of the closet," he answers, squatting down beside Buddy to adjust his cape.

Skye makes her way towards the hallway, "I'm going to go change. When I'm done, you go change while I keep an eye on Jess and then we'll get out of here and go trick-or-treating."

He nods his head, "Copy that."

...

"Trick-or-treat!" Grant and Skye say together as the front door opens to reveal Kara on the other side.

Kara smiles, "Wow, look at you guys." She looks down at Jessica, "Hey there, ladybug. You look so stinking cute."

Jessica smiles and steps forward, hugging Kara around the legs, "Aun' Kawa!"

Kara hugs the little girl back, "Hi, Jessie." She reaches down and lifts Jessica up into her arms, "Are you having a fun Halloween, Jess?"

Jessica leans back smiles at Kara, "¡Sí!"

"Well I'm glad," Kara smiles back. She looks over at Grant and Skye, "Nice costumes."

"Apparently Grant thought we needed costumes too," Skye tells the other woman. "And Buddy has one as well."

Kara looks down at the dog and then back up, "Is he a devil?"

"Clever, right?" Grant grins.

"It's pretty funny," Kara smiles.

"Aun' Kawa!" Jessica exclaims, gently tugging on the collar of her aunt's shirt.

"Yes, my little ladybug?"

"Candy!"

"You want some candy?"

Jessica nods, "¡Sí! Por favor."

"Well I think we can make that happen." She looks up at Grant and Skye, "Come on inside, guys. I accidentally left the candy bowl in the kitchen." She opens the door a little wider, allowing the two to step inside. They follow Kara into the kitchen where the candy bowl is sitting on the counter.

"Candy!" Jessica shouts with a smile, leaning forward out of Kara's arms to reach the bowl.

"Whoa, slow down for a minute, Jess," Kara manages to reign the little girl in. "You only get a few pieces," she tells her. "I don't need your mom and dad chewing my head off for loading you up on sweets."

"Dulces," Jessica grins.

"Good job, Jess," Grant smiles at his daughter. He looks at Kara, "Looks like she remembers what 'sweets' is in Spanish."

"It definitely does seem that way," Kara smiles. She turns her attention to Jessica, "Are you having fun learning Spanish with your dad, Jessie?"

Jessica nods, "Sí."

"Well that's great to hear. Now, I think I owe someone a few pieces of candy…" she trails off with a smile, laughing at the eager look on Jessica's face as she reaches for the candy bowl.

...

"Hand me that Mounds bar right there," Skye tells Grant, pointing to one of the wrapped candies in his lap. They're both lounging back on the couch in the living room, a Halloween movie playing out on the TV as they eat some of their daughters' candy.

Grant picks up the candy and hands it over to his girlfriend, "Do you really think that we should be doing this?"

"Doing what?" Skye asks, her eyes not leaving the screen as she peels open the candy wrapper.

"Eating Jess' candy," he clarifies.

She turns her head to look at him, "It's not like she's going to be able to eat all of it before it becomes all gross and old. We're just helping her out a little. Plus, the pieces of candy that we're eating are the ones she probably won't like. So when you really think about it, there's no real harm being done here," she smiles.

He chuckles, "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am," she scoffs, turning her head back to the TV.

"I love you."

Skye turns her head to see him looking at her with a look of complete adoration, a smile on his face. She smiles back at him, "I love you too. So much more than I ever thought was even possible."

"Same goes for me about you," he says with a small nod. "I've always loved you, Skye. That is never going to change."

The two just look at each other with smiles on their faces as the Halloween movie continues to play in the background.

"Marry me," Skye says, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Grant's breath hitches, "What?"

"You heard me." She reaches forward and takes his hand in hers, linking their fingers together, and smiles wider at him, "Grant Douglas Ward, will you marry me?"

"Well I don't exactly have an engagement ring to give to you," he points out.

She shrugs, "It'd be a dangerous hazard in my line of work anyway, for more than one reason. Plus, no one back at base besides Bobbi and Hunter knows that we're actually together. Just find me a nice, simple wedding ring that I can wear on a chain around my neck when I'm on base and then on my finger when I'm here and I will be perfectly fine. Just as long as I get to marry the man that I love."

"You're serious about this," he says.

She smiles and nods her head, "Very."

His smile widens, "Then yes, Skye Johnson, I would love to marry you." Skye grins, leaning forward to press her lips to his, the movie and candy long forgotten.

* * *

_***November*** _

"Can you pass me that right there?" Grant asks Skye from his place standing in front of one of the kitchen counters, pointing to an ingredient that sits close to her.

Skye picks up the ingredient and hands it over to him, then returns to resting her elbows on the counter and her head in her hands. "Grant?"

"Yeah?"

"When do you think we should get married?"

"Hmm?" he replies, not looking up from the turkey in front of him.

"When do you think we should get married?" she repeats. "We need to pick a date. And a place too."

He looks up at her briefly, "Well, when do _you_ want to get married?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to wait for too much longer. The sooner I get to be married to your ruggedly handsome face, the better."

"Well I'm fine with whenever and wherever you decide," he says. "At the end of the day, as long as I get to slide a ring onto your finger and call you my wife, I'll be fine," he smiles at her.

She smiles back, "You're too sweet." Her eyes go wide, "Ooh! What about a New Years wedding out n the backyard?"

"New Years?" he repeats, covering the pan of turkey with tinfoil.

Skye bites her lip between her teeth, smiles, and nods her head, "Mm-hmm."

"Why New Years?" he asks, leaning forward on the counter on his forearms.

"I want to get married as soon as possible, but a Christmas wedding is kind of cliché. Plus, we became an official couple on New Years, and said 'I love you' for the first time on New Years, so it just seems right to get married on New Years. It's kind of like our thing when you think about it. We could make the backyard look really nice with some twinkling lights or something; it'll be so perfect."

Grant smiles, "Well then, it sounds to me like we're going to have a New Years wedding."

Skye gasps, "Really?"

He nods his head, "Really."

Skye beams at him and then leans forward over the counter to press her lips to his. She pulls back slightly, her eyes closed, "I love you."

"I love you too."

...

"You know, I didn't really think I could miss your amazing tasting turkey so much until this very moment right now when I'm about to eat it again," Skye says to Grant as they sit at the dining table, Jessica's high chair pulled right up next to Skye's seat.

"Well that's very nice to hear," Grant smiles, grabbing the carving knife. "I meant to ask you before, but how are things going on base?" he begins cutting into the medium sized bird.

Skye sighs, "Going."

"Any chance of you getting out of there for good anytime soon?" he asks her.

"Honestly? I don't think so. I mean, my team is doing really well, but I don't know if I'll be comfortable leaving them just yet. We have a few new Inhumans that are still pretty hesitant about a lot of things, especially when it comes to their abilities, and I'm the one who's been helping them transition into this whole lifestyle. So I'd feel really bad for leaving them before they're fully comfortable."

He nods his head, "I understand. But I don't want you to wait too long to leave, okay?"

She smiles at him, "I promise I won't."

"Good," he nods. "Now, shall we eat?" he smiles, holding up a slice of turkey.

Skye smiles back, holding her plate out to him, "Yes please."

"Tukey!" Jessica exclaims, her eyes locked onto the bird.

Grant smiles over at his daughter, "Do you want some turkey too, Jess?"

Jessica nods and hits her small hands against the plastic tray of her high chair, "Tukey!"

"Can you say 'turquía'?" Grant asks.

"Tukey!"

Skye smiles and laughs, "We heard you, baby girl. Daddy's going to cut you a small slice of turkey, okay?" She looks over at Grant, "I am never going to get tired of this."  
"Of what?" he asks her, cutting a small slice off of the turkey for Jessica.

"Being here with you and Jess."

Grant smiles, "And we'll never get tired of having you here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Bam! They're engaged! Who's excited for the upcoming wedding? I am. :)
> 
> Also, I've decided to have another member of the team find out Skye's secret. Anyone want to take a guess as to who it will be? :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Thanks everyone for all the love so far with this story. You're all amazing. :)
> 
> Christmastime again for our lovely little family. :) I really liked writing this one.
> 
> And now, enjoy!

_***December*** _

"Do you realize that this is the second year we're going out to the mall to take pictures with Santa?" Skye asks Grant as she straps Jessica into her car seat.

"Yes I did," Grant nods his head from his spot in the driver's seat.

Skye stands up straight and looks over at him, "Are we really becoming those people?"

He furrows his brows, "What people?"

"The people who have traditions every holiday," she tells him.

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" he asks with a small smile.

She shakes her head, "No, not necessarily. I guess it's just making this all the more real," she bends back down and finishes strapping Jessica in.

"I think I know what you mean," Grant smiles. "But I don't mind having traditions. That's something we didn't really have growing up. I mean, I guess you could say that we had certain traditions for every single holiday, but I never really wanted to be a part of them. And I think traditions should be something that you want to participate in, that you want to hand down to the next generation."

Skye smiles at him through the window of the car, "I love you."

"I love you too," he smiles back. "Now can you get in the car please so we can go?"

"You know what I just realized?" she asks him, completely ignoring his request.

"What?"

"Last year we wore red for the pictures with Santa and this year we're wearing green." She looks over at Jessica's outfit; a short green dress with subtle beading throughout the bottom of it, and a pair of white tights and black shoes. She looks down at her own outfit; a knee length, dark green, scoop neck dress, a pair of black heels. She looks over at Grant's outfit; a pair of black slacks, black dress shoes, and a dark green button up dress shirt. "Now, I'm not saying that we don't look great, because we really do, but it just has me a little concerned."

"Concerned about what?" he asks with furrowed brows.

"About what we're going to wear next year for the pictures."

Grant sighs, "Why don't we just wear red?"

"But we wore red last year."

"Then what about green?"

"We're wearing green this year."

"There's only two colors that are so closely associated with Christmas, Skye," he tells her.

"I know. I really don't know why I didn't think about this before."

"Hey Skye?"

"Yeah?"

"Get in the car please."

Skye huffs, "Fine." She checks over Jessica's car seat straps and then closes the back door, making her way around the car to the passenger side. She opens the passenger side front door and climbs inside, clipping her seat belt into place. She lets out a breath and looks at Grant, "Ready."

"Are you sure?" he asks with a raised brow. "You don't need to have another existential crisis before we go?"

She narrows her eyes, "It wasn't an existential crisis. I was simply worrying over this family tradition that we seem to have begun without really realizing it."

"Well you could have fooled me," he smiles.

"Just drive the damn car, Grant."

He chuckles quietly, "Whatever you say, Skye." He turns forward in his seat and shifts the car into reverse, slowly backs out of the driveway and out onto the street.

...

"Well, after some struggling and fighting Jessica is now tucked into her crib with Bug tucked tightly against her body as always," Grant lets out a breath as he makes his way back into the living where Skye is sitting on the couch waiting for him. "Whether or not she actually goes to sleep anytime soon is another thing," he smiles as he sits down, letting Skye curl into his side, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest.

"Like mother like daughter," she smiles. "I never really liked going to sleep when I was little but I usually crashed pretty quickly anyways. When I got older though I would always stay up late any chance I could get."

Grant chuckles, "Yes, I know. Even when you were pregnant you still tried to stay up at all hours of the night even though I could tell you were completely exhausted."

She shrugs, "It's just who I am."

"And it's one of the many reasons why I love you," he presses a kiss to her lips. He leans back into the couch and takes a deep breath, "So, it's Christmas Eve. What should we do now?"

"I don't know," Skye replies. "I'm pretty comfortable right here like this."

"Didn't you say almost the exact same thing last year?" he asks her.

She shrugs, "Maybe. But it still stands true. You are way too comfortable and I do not want to get up. However, I'm pretty sure that there's something we need to be doing right now."

Grant nods, "Mm-hmm. That's why I asked you what we should do."

"Hmm," Skye thinks. "Well, we should probably get the rest of the presents under the tree, and then maybe we can watch a movie before heading to bed."

Grant smiles, "Sounds like an excellent plan to me."

"Great," she smiles up at him, leaning up to give him a quick kiss. "I'll go and grab the rest of the presents while you pick out a movie." She pulls away from him and stands from the couch, making her way down the hallway to their bedroom to get the rest of the Christmas presents.

...

Skye breathes in deeply, smiling at the familiar feeling of the strong arms wrapped comfortably and protectively around her middle. She opens her eyes and looks over her shoulder to see Grant still asleep next to her, the tiniest hint of a smile on his face.

She turns around fully in his arms, resting her own arms against his bare chest. She slides her head forward and ghosts her lips over his, smirking when she feels his arms tighten around her.

"Merry Christmas," she whispers against his lips.

"Merry Christmas," he whispers back, closing the small space between their lips. She smiles into the kiss, running her hands down his chest and sending small vibrations through his skin.

Grant groans at the feeling, but quickly pulls away. "As much as I really want to, we can't," he tells her. "Jess is probably going to wake up soon."

She sighs, "Fine. But tonight you are all mine." She gives him one more kiss before pulling away and climbing out of the bed to go to the nursery.

She steps inside the room and smiles when she sees her daughter standing up in her crib, her stuffed ladybug, Bug, clutched in one hand while she leans against the railing. She straightens up and smiles when she sees Skye entering the room. "¡Mamá!"

Skye smiles, "Hey, baby girl." She walks up to the crib and lifts her daughter out, setting her on her hip, "You ready to go open some presents?"

Jessica nods, "¡Sí!"

"Well then let's go. I think daddy's waiting for us out in the living room."

Jessica wiggles against Skye's side, "Abajo mamá. Down."

Skye laughs quietly, "Alright." She bends down and sets the girls' feet on the floor, "Go get daddy." She quickly follows after her daughter with a smile on her face all the way out to the living room where Grant is waiting for them.

"Dad!" Jessica shouts as she enters the living room.

"Feliz Navidad, Jessie," Grant smiles at his daughter, stooping down and opening his arms up to her.

Jessica runs right up to him and leaps into his arms, hugging him tightly. Grant chuckles and then stands up with her in his arms.

"Look Jessie," Skye says to the little girl, stepping up beside Grant and pointing towards the brightly lit Christmas tree in the corner.

Jessica turns her head and her eyes go wide at the bright lights and she smiles, reaching one hand out and pointing, "Tee!"

"Yeah, baby," Skye smiles, "that's our Christmas tree. Do you want to open some presents now? Come on, let's see what you got."

She walks over towards the Christmas tree, Grant following behind her, and they sit down on the floor, setting Jessica down between them.

"Ooh, look at this one, Jessie," Skye grabs a large wrapped box and pushes it over in front of them. "This one is for you from Santa. Go ahead and open it, baby."

Jessica launches herself at the box, grabbing at the paper and pulling it down bit by bit.

Skye smiles at Jessica and helps her tear the rest of the paper off of the box. "Look what Santa got you, Jessie; it's a scooter for you to ride around on," she tells her daughter as she points to the picture of the Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Scooters on the front of the box. "I think you're going to have a lot of fun with this one, baby girl. You can ride it all over the house and even outside in the grass too." Skye looks over at Grant, "Should we take it out of the box now or wait?"

"Let's wait," he tells her. "Otherwise she probably won't want to open anything else and just play with the scooter."

"Good point," Skye nods. She pushes the box off to the side, earning a few noises in protest from Jessica. "It's okay, angel," Skye says. "You can play with it later after you finish opening all your other presents." She drops a kiss to the top of Jessica's head before reaching underneath of the tree to grab another gift.

...

Skye lets out a deep sigh as she falls down onto the couch. "Another successful Christmas has come and gone," she tells Grant.

Grant looks over his shoulder at her from where he's standing at the other end of the room, cleaning up some of the mess from earlier in the day. "Yes it was," he says.

"Just leave the mess where it is, babe, we'll clean it up tomorrow."

Grant stills and then stands up straight. He turns around to look at Skye and raises an eyebrow, "Did you just call me 'babe'?"

"What?"

"You just called me 'babe'," he smiles, walking towards her.

"Did I?" she asks, sitting up slightly on the couch.

He nods his head, standing right in front of her, "Yeah, you did."

"Hmm. Must have been a slip of the tongue," she shrugs.

He smiles and leans down, resting his hands on the couch cushion on either side of her, "No, I don't think it was. I think you meant to say that. I think you one hundred percent meant to call me 'babe'."

She rolls her eyes, "You're delusional."

He smiles, "If being in love is delusional then I am guilty as charged."

Before Grant register what's happening, Skye reaches up and grabs Grant's head in her hands, tugging him down so she can press her lips to his. Grant awkwardly falls down onto his knees in front of Skye, his hands moving from the couch to her hips, pulling her forward to the edge of the cushion.

Skye smiles into the kiss, running her hands up to tangle in his hair and pull his face closer to hers. She sucks his bottom lip between her teeth, nipping at it.

Grant pulls back reluctantly and breathes heavily, "Why don't we move this into the bedroom? After all, I distinctly remember you telling me something about how I'm all yours tonight."

Skye smirks, "I did say that." She gently pushes on his shoulders, making him move back so she can stand up from the couch. She leans down and ghosts her lips over his, "Come on, _babe_." She drops a single kiss to his lips before standing up straight, grabbing his hand in hers and pulling him down the hallway towards their bedroom, her lips attacking his as soon as they step foot inside the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Also, for those of you reading this that are also reading Luck of the Draw, I apologize for not updating recently. I've been stuck on this current chapter, but I've slowly been working through it. Plus, I have all these other story ideas that keep popping up. But do not worry, I have not forgotten about Luck of the Draw. It's one of my favorites to write and I have many many chapters already written up for it that I can't wait to post. So please be patient with me on that one. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. I had a lot of fun writing this one and I'm excited for you all to read it.
> 
> It's New Years, which means it's time for the wedding! :)
> 
> Enjoy!

_***December/January*** _

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Bobbi asks Skye as they stand together in the master bedroom.

Skye takes a deep breath as she looks at herself in the full-length mirror in front of her, "Definitely. I didn't know I really wanted any of this until I met Grant. Then of course I thought it wouldn't happen after all the Hydra crap that went down, but then we started fooling around and I got pregnant with Jess and now here we are," she gives a small smile.

"Here we are," Bobbi smiles and nods. "I'm really happy for you, Skye. You and Grant definitely deserve this after everything that has happened between and to the both of you."

Skye smiles at her friend, "Thanks, Bobbi. That really means a lot." She sighs, "I just wish that the others could be here for this. But I know that as soon as Coulson saw Grant he'd try and arrest him or shoot him or something really awful."

"They all care about you," Bobbi assures her. "I'm sure they could at least try to put aside their hatred for Grant for a couple of hours to be here for you."

"I know they all care about me," Skye says. "I really care about them too; SHIELD took me in and was like a family to me when I needed one. But despite how much they say they care about me, I really don't think that any of them could put aside their hatred for Grant long enough to be here. Most of them would immediately put him six feet underground if given the chance to do so. And I won't risk anything like that happening to the man I love."

Bobbi nods, "I get it. And don't worry about the next couple of days, either. Kara said she's going to watch Jess for you guys and Hunter and I will cover for you back on base while you're on your honeymoon," she smiles.

"Thank you, Bobbi," Skye smiles back at her. "Really, thank you so much for everything that you've done for us."

"It's no problem," Bobbi assures her. "That's what friends are for."

Skye nods her head and then takes a deep breath, smoothing her hands down the front of her simple white dress. She turns her head to look at Bobbi, "Where's Jess?"

"Last I saw her she was with Kara. I think she's asleep in her room now, though."

Skye nods, "Yeah, okay, good. I was kind of hoping that she'd be able to be awake for this, but I think it's better that she's sleeping. I'd rather have her sleep through the wedding than stay up all night and be a complete terror during the day or sleep the whole day and have her whole schedule completely shot."

"Very true," Bobbi nods. "Now, it's almost midnight, shall we go?"

Skye takes another deep as she looks at herself in the mirror, "Time to get married."

...

"As the old draws to a close and we get ready to ring in the new, we also are taking some time to recognize these two wonderful people in front of us and their choice to join together in marriage. This is a joyous occasion and we are all more than happy to celebrate it with the two of them. At this time, Grant and Skye have chosen to recite their own vows." The priest looks over at Grant and nods his head once at him.

Grant nods back and then looks at Skye, holding her hands tightly in his own. He takes a deep breath and then opens his mouth to speak, "Skye, you and Jessica are my entire world. I honestly never thought that I would be capable of loving two people as much as I love you and our daughter. And I don't know if it's possible for me to be any happier than I am whenever I'm with the both of you. When we first met, I didn't want to love you, I really tried my hardest not to. But I guess there was just something about you that I couldn't resist. Somehow you found a way to bury yourself deep into my heart and you never left. When I ruined things I thought I lost you for good and that I'd never get you or what we could have had back. But then we found out about Jess and you told me that you actually wanted me to be a part of her life, and that's when I started to see the hope. That's the day that everything really changed for me and it's been an amazing adventure ever since then. You stole my heart, Skye. But you don't need to give it back because there's no one else I'd rather have keep, protect, and love it. And I promise to do the same with your heart. You're my everything, Skye. I love you and I can't wait to be called your husband."

Skye smiles, wiping a few tears off of her cheeks. She takes a deep, calming breath and then speaks, "Grant Ward, you completely ruined any chance I had at loving anyone else after we met. Even though what we had in the beginning never really amounted to much, and you really hurt me, after you left I realized that none of the guys I was with before and none of the guys I would possibly be with after could ever live up to you. I was always searching for my family, people I could love and would love me with no questions asked, but I never thought you would end up being the one person I love so much more than anyone or anything else. As cheesy as it may sound, I think my soul knew that it was waiting for you long before I even met you, and once it found you it didn't want to let you go. And I don't want to let you go either. After all the struggles we went through I finally have you; we're finally at this amazing point. You and Jessica are the two best things to ever happen to me and I couldn't be any happier with my life than I am right now. You're it for me, Grant Ward. You always have been, and you always will be." She smiles up at him and he smiles back.

"The rings, please," the priest says as the clock counts down the final minutes.

Grant reaches behind him to take the rings from Hunter, passing one of them over to Skye.

"If you would each place the ring on the others left hand."

Grant holds Skye's left hand in his, sliding the gold band onto her fourth finger.

Skye smiles down at the ring before sliding Grant's band onto his fourth finger.

They both look at each other again and smile wide; both of their faces full of pure love and joy.

"As the final seconds tick down, I am happy to say, that by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Grant smiles, stepping forward and tugging on Skye's hands to pull her closer, allowing him to press his lips to hers. Fireworks explode in the sky behind them at that exact moment, ringing in 2019.

When they pull apart, Grant smiles down at her, "Happy New Year, Mrs. Ward."

She smiles back up at him, "Happy New Year, Mr. Ward."

...

Breathing heavily, Skye falls back onto the bed and pulls the white sheet up over her chest. She turns her head to look at Grant lying next to her, breathing heavily as well. "You okay, babe?" she asks him.

He nods his head, "Yeah." He turns his head towards her and smiles, "I'm better than okay."

"Me too," she smiles back. "We're married now," she says after a beat.

"Yeah, we are. And I'm going to be honest with you right now and say that I really never thought that this day would happen."

"I never thought it would either," she tells him. She flips over and scoots closer to him, resting her arms on his chest to look at him better; one of his hands lands on her hip. She lets out a small sigh, "After everything that happened I really, _really_ never thought we'd be here at this point."

"I know, I'm pretty sure you said that in your vows," he gives her a small laugh.

"I'm being serious right now, Grant. You broke my heart that day and for a long time I didn't think I'd ever be able to put all the pieces back together."

"But the important thing is that you did," Grant smiles at her, bringing his other hand up to caress her cheek. "And now we're married with a beautiful daughter."

Skye smiles at him, tilting her head to lean into his hand, "Yeah, you're right. She takes a deep breath, "And you know, I think that not having to worry about if Jess is awake and going to interrupt us made having sex tonight much more enjoyable. I wish it could be like that at home."

Grant grins and in one fluid motion he pulls the sheet away from Skye's body and flips them around so he's hovering above her. "I'm sure we can get creative," he smiles, dipping his head to capture her lips in his again.

* * *

_***February*** _

"I promise you I'm fine, Kenny," Skye assures one of her young recruits as she pulls her shirt back down over her body, covering the wrapping of her bruised ribs. "I've been through worse pain than just some bruised ribs, believe me."

"Still," Kenny speaks up, "I feel kind of bad about it."

"Well don't," Skye smiles reassuringly at him, hopping down off of the med bay table. "I'm just going to go rest up in my room. Don't let what happened today keep you from training with the others. Things like this happen sometimes, you just have to work on your control against inanimate objects, as well as people. It's all about control. You have the control, not your powers. Remember that, alright?"

Kenny nods his head, "Okay."

"Good," Skye smiles. "I'll see you later." She gives him a quick pat on the shoulder and then makes her way out of the med bay and down the hall towards her bunk.

Once she enters the room she climbs up onto her bed, wincing slightly at the pain in her side. Leaning over to her nightstand, she grabs her phone and unlocks it, going into her shell program to find Grant's number. She starts up a video call and holds it up in front of her face, waiting eagerly for him to answer.

A second later, Grant's face fills the screen, _"Hello beautiful."_

She smiles, "Hey handsome. Happy Valentine's Day."

_"Happy Valentine's Day to you too. How has your day been?"_

"Well, I got the absolute best gift any girl could ask for; bruised ribs."

 _"Are you okay?"_ he asks her.

She nods, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just from training. This new Inhuman Kenny is pretty strong, and we're pretty sure he's able to turn it off and on. He just hasn't quite figured out how to do that yet. But he's slowly getting there."

Grant nods his head, _"Okay. As long as he doesn't seriously injure you."_

"He's still a little scared to use his full strength because he doesn't want to hurt anyone. But he's a really sweet kid. I've been training with him because he's too scared to train with anyone else right now."

_"Alright. As long as you're being careful."_

"I am," she assures him. "Now, let's quit talking about my work here and talk about something else."

 _"I think we can do that,"_ Grant smiles. _"What would you like to talk about?"_

Skye shifts slightly on the bed, "Hmm. Maybe how this is our first Valentine's Day as a married couple and we aren't together for it."

_"Well it's not too late to come out here. There's still plenty of time left in the day."_

She tilts her head and smiles sadly, "I know. But I think everyone would get suspicious if I left again, even if just for a couple hours, and it takes a few hours to even get out there. Plus, I'll be there next month for Jess' party."

 _"Yes you will,"_ he nods. _"And Jess is very excited to see you again, she keeps going on and on about you and playing with you and all that."_

"Well I'm very much looking forward to it. I miss you both so much."

 _"We miss you too,"_ he smiles.

"So do you two have any big plans for the rest of the day?" Skye asks him.

_"Well, we're going to the annual Valentine's Day Father Daughter, Mother Son Dance like we did last year. And I think this year might be more fun because she's a bit older now."_

"Definitely. And be sure to send me lots of pictures. You hardly sent me any last year."

 _"We were just having too much fun,"_ Grant smiles. _"But I promise I'll send you more pictures."_

"Thank you," Skye smiles. "And don't let her eat too many sweets or anything while you're there. You don't want her to get sick."

 _"I promise,"_ Grant smiles and nods. _"Now, I'm going to go so you can rest up and let those ribs heal."_

"How do you know that talking to you isn't helping them heal?" she tries.

He chuckles, _"Skye, you need to rest."_

She sighs, "Fine. But I'll be waiting for those pictures."

 _"I'll send them as soon as I take them,"_ he smiles.

She nods once, "Good. I love you."

_"I love you too. Bye."_

"Bye."

Pulling her phone down, she closes out of the program and locks her phone, setting it down on her nightstand. She scoots down on the bed, being careful of her ribs and lies down on her pillow, letting sleep overtake her as she closes her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> They're married now. How exciting is that? :)
> 
> Working on a special project for Brett. If any of you are interested, let me know. I'd be happy to give you more info. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Hope you enjoy this one, I think it's pretty fun. Also, happy Fourth of July weekend out there to all my fellow Americans. Hope you all have fun and stay safe this weekend. :)
> 
> And now, the chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

_***March*** _

Feeling her phone vibrating in her back pocket, Bobbi stops in the hallway and pulls it out to see an incoming call from Skye.

Hitting the answer button she holds the phone up to her ear, "Hey."

" _Hey. Are you guys on your way yet?"_

"We're just about to head out. Why?"

" _Oh, no real reason. I was just reminding Jess earlier how you guys are coming to her party and she got really excited. She keeps asking me when you guys are going to get here. So I just thought I'd call and see where you're at. Or if you've left yet."_

"We're still at the base. We're headed down to the garage now, though. So we should be there in a couple hours."

" _That's great. Jess will be very happy to hear that. Though she'll probably keep whining because you aren't actually here yet."_

Bobbi laughs quietly, "Well tell the little munchkin to be patient and that we'll see her very soon. We got her a pretty great present, if I do say so myself."

" _I'll make sure to pass on the message. See you when you get here."_

"Yeah, bye."

" _Bye."_

Pulling the phone away from her ear, Bobbi hits the end call button and slides the device back into her pocket. "That was Skye," she says to Hunter.

"Yeah, I gathered that much. What'd she want?"

"She was just wondering if we were on our way yet. Apparently Jess keeps whining because we aren't there."

"Well then let's not keep the birthday girl waiting," Hunter smiles.

"No, we wouldn't want to do that," Bobbi smiles back. The two take a few steps down the hall when a voice stops them from behind.

"Agent Hunter, Agent Morse."

The two agents stop in their path and turn around to see Coulson standing in front of them.

"Sir," Bobbi says.

"Where are you two headed?" he asks them.

"Just out for the day," Bobbi tells him.

"Yeah," Hunter nods his head. "Things are a bit slow here so we figured we'd just spend a little bit of time out in the city, get some fresh air."

Coulson furrows his brows, "Alright. Keep your phones on you in case I need to get a hold of one or both of you."

"We will, sir," Bobbi assures him.

Coulson nods his head once and then turns around to make his way back down the hallway.

"That was certainly a close one," Hunter breathes out.

Bobbi nods, "Yes it was. Now come on, let's get going before Jess really drives Skye crazy with all her whining." She gestures with her head towards the door of the base.

"Yeah, alright. Do you have the gift?" he asks her as they start walking.

"We have to pick it up from the store on the way," she tells him.

"You think she'll like it?" he asks.

"I'm sure she will," Bobbi tells him. "Now hurry up."

...

Stepping up to the front of the house, Bobbi raises her fist and knocks on the door.

A few seconds later, the front door opens to reveal Skye standing on the other side. She smiles wide when she sees them, "Hey guys, come on in." She pulls the door open wider and allows the two agents inside the house.

"Sorry about being super early," Bobbi apologizes as she and Hunter step inside. "Things were kind of slow back at base so we figured we'd just head on over."

"You guys are perfectly fine," Skye tells them, shutting the door. "Being early to the party just means that you can keep an eye on Jess for me while I finish getting some things ready."

"We'd be more than happy to," Bobbi smiles. She steps forward into the living room where Jessica is sitting on the floor playing with some of her toys, "Hey there, sweet girl."

"Aunt Bobbi!" Jessica grins, jumping up from the floor and running over to Bobbi, launching herself into the older woman's arms, throwing her small arms around Bobbi's neck and hugging her tightly.

Bobbi laughs, hugging her back. She adjusts the girl and settles her on her hip, "How are you?"

"Good," Jessica smiles.

"Glad to hear it," Bobbi smiles.

"I better get back to the cake," Skye speaks up, moving towards the kitchen.

"That's probably a good idea," Hunter says.

"Where's Grant?" Bobbi asks as she and Hunter follow Skye through the house and towards the kitchen.

"He went out to the store to get a few more things for the party," Skye tells them, moving behind the counter in the kitchen to continue working on Jessica's birthday cake. "He should be back soon, though."

"Okay," Bobbi nods.

"Aunt Bobbi," Jessica speaks up, getting her aunt's attention.

"Yes, sweet pea?"

"Vamos a jugar fuera."

"You want to go play outside?" Bobbi asks her. Jessica nods her head. Bobbi smiles, "I think we can make that happen. Should Uncle Lance come outside with us?"

"¡Sí!" Jessica smiles, nodding her head.

Bobbi laughs, "Alright." She looks over at her ex-husband, "You heard the girl, let's go play outside."

"Mamá tambien," Jessica says, looking over at her mother.

"I can't, baby," Skye tells her daughter. "Mamá's got to finish your cake before everybody shows up for your party. But I'm sure daddy will join you guys when he gets home. Now go on outside and play, okay?"

"Kay," Jessica says.

"Play safely, please," Skye tells the two adults as they make their way towards the back door and out to the yard.

"We will," Bobbi calls back, stepping out the door and down into the grass.

...

"Hello? I heard there's a birthday girl back here somewhere."

"Auntie Kara!" Jessica shouts when she sees Kara stepping through the back door and into the yard. She runs over to her aunt and hugs her tightly.

Kara smiles at her goddaughter, picking her up and giving her a hug. "Happy birthday, my little ladybug. I'm so sorry I'm late."

"Está bien," Jessica says to her. "Come pay! ¡Ven a jugar!"

Kara laughs, "I will, bug. Just let me go say hi to your mom and dad first."

"Kay."

Kara smiles and sets Jessica back down in the grass, allowing her to go back over to where she was before.

Turning around, Kara makes her way over to where Grant and Skye are.

"Kara, hey," Skye smiles at the woman and pulls her into a hug. "We're so glad you could make it."

"Of course," Kara smiles back. "There's no way that I'd even think about missing this."

"That's good," Skye nods once. "Because Jess loves whenever she gets to see her Auntie Kara."

"And I love getting to see her too," Kara smiles. "Sorry I'm late, by the way."

Skye waves her off, "It's fine. You're here and Jess is happy. And as long as my daughter is happy I'm happy," Skye smiles.

"Why exactly _were_ you late, if you don't mind me asking?" Grant directs at Kara.

A small blush creeps up Kara's cheeks and she ducks her head slightly. She looks back up at Grant and Skye, "I uh, I was actually out with Ben."

Skye grins, "Ooh, I think I remember you telling me about Ben when I was here the time before last. Any juicy new details for me?" she waggles her eyebrows at her friend.

"No, nothing juicy," Kara says, making Skye frown. Kara smiles, "But things are going pretty well between us so far. He's a lot different than any of the other guys I've ever gone out with. I really like him."

Skye beams, "Well I'm really happy for you, Kara."

"Thanks," Kara smiles. "But enough about me, today is all about Jessica."

"Yes it is," Skye smiles and nods. "We have a party going on all around us for the little angel. Speaking of which, babe, how are the hot dogs and burgers coming along?" she looks back at her husband.

"They should be done very soon," he tells her.

She nods, "Good. Because I am getting very hungry. As I'm sure everyone else around here is too."

"Then I should probably check on them and make sure they aren't burnt," he drops a kiss to her temple before turning back to the grill.

...

"¡Mamá!"

Skye turns her head from where she's standing near the house speaking with Bobbi to see Jessica toddling through the grass towards her, a smile on her face.

"Hey Jessie," Skye smiles down at her daughter, lifting her up off of the ground and settling her on her hip. "Wow, look at you," she lets out a small laugh when she gets a good look at Jessica's painted face.

"¡Mira!" Jessica exclaims, pointing to her face.

"I see," Skye nods, smiling at her daughters' face that is painted to look like butterfly wings on her cheeks and antennas on her forehead. "You look very pretty, baby girl."

"What about me? Do I look pretty too?"

Bobbi and Skye look over to see Hunter walking towards them, his own face painted to look like an orange cat. Both women let out a loud laugh when they get a look at him.

"Nice look, Hunter," Bobbi says with a smile, still laughing.

"I happen to think I look rather nice. What do you think, squirt?" he looks over at Jessica.

Jessica grins, reaching out to touch his face, "Cat! ¡Gato!"

"She picked it out for me," Hunter tells the two women. "I couldn't decide what to get so I asked for her opinion. She pointed at the picture of the cat so I got my face painted like a cat."

"Well I think it looks great," Skye smiles.

"Thank you," Hunter nods once. He looks at Bobbi, "At least someone here thinks so."

"Auntie Kara también," Jessica says.

Skye looks at her daughter, "Did Auntie Kara get her face painted too?"

Jessica nods, "Sí."

"Jess decided on a dog for me," Kara announces as she approaches the small group, her face painted to look like a Dalmatian. "A Dalmatian to be exact," Kara clarifies.

"She loves watching _101 Dalmatians_ ," Skye tells Kara. "So it makes perfect sense why she'd pick that."

"I guess it does," Kara nods. "I don't mind it though. Dalmatians are pretty cute. I've actually been thinking recently about getting a dog at some point down the line."

"You definitely should," Skye tells her, setting Jessica back down on the grass. Jessica reaches up and grabs hold of Hunter's hand and tugs him along after her towards the open space of the yard. Skye looks back at Kara, "Dogs can be a lot of work, but they're also really fun to have around. Jess absolutely _loves_ Buddy. Sometimes I still can't believe Grant actually bought her a puppy. I know for a fact that he purposefully waited until I left again to buy her that dog."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Bobbi smiles. "I may not know him as well as either of you but I can see how much he loves Jess. I'm sure all she had to do was look up at him with those big brown eyes of hers and he completely caved."

Kara nods, "I'm sure that's exactly what happened. Grant is completely head over heels for his girls. He says that one look from either of you and he is at a complete loss."

Skye just laughs, "Guilty as charged."

...

"That was a really great party you put together, Skye," Bobbi tells her friend as she helps carry things inside the house once everyone left after the party.

"Thanks," Skye smiles. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"I did," Bobbi nods. "But I think Hunter enjoyed himself way more than I did."

"He did seem pretty excited about the whole face painting thing when he saw it," Skye chuckles.

Bobbi laughs too, "Yeah. I'm going to have to make sure he gets his face completely cleaned off before we get back. Otherwise people might ask questions that we don't want them to ask."

"Good point," Skye nods. "But even if he did show up to the base with face paint on, I'm sure you guys would figure out some explanation."

"Probably," Bobbi nods her head. "But I'd still rather not risk it."

"True," Skye nods her head. "And hey, aren't parties a lot more fun when you don't have to crash them first?" she smiles at her friend.

Bobbi smiles and nods, "Yes, I suppose they are."

"Hey Skye, where do you want these presents?"

Skye turns her head to see Kara stepping inside the house, carrying a few gifts in her arms.

"You can just set them in the living room," Skye tells her. "If they go in her room she'll just get into them before I can put them all away and it'll be one giant mess."

"Good idea," Kara smiles, setting the gifts down on the living room floor.

"Thanks," Skye smiles at the woman.

"No problem," Kara smiles back. "Really great party, by the way."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Skye says to her.

"I did," Kara nods her head. "But now I must be off. I told Ben I'd stop by after the party."

Skye grins, "Weren't you there before the party too?"

Kara blushes and ducks her head, "Maybe."

Skye lets out a small laugh, "It's fine, I'm just teasing. But I better get to meet him soon."

"I'm actually planning on asking him to come with me to your Fourth of July party this year."

"That is an excellent idea," Skye smiles.

"Thanks," Kara smiles.

"Alright," Bobbi takes a deep breath, "I think it's time for me and Hunter to get going too."

"Are you sure you guys have to go already?" Skye asks. "You can't stay for just a little while longer?"

Bobbi shakes her head, "Sorry. It's a miracle we were even able to stay out for this long. I was worried that Coulson was going to call us back any minute just for the hell of it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Skye nods. "But you guys can't leave before you say bye to Jess. She will be very sad if she finds out you left without saying goodbye to her."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Bobbi smiles.

"And this is where the piggy back ride ends, little one," Hunter says as he makes his way inside the house and into the living room, Jessica sitting high up on his back, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Again! ¡Otra vez!" Jessica shouts, a wide smile on her face as she kicks her legs against his side.

Hunter chuckles, "Sorry, sweetheart. I don't think I can go again. But next time I come by you can have another ride, yeah?"

"Kay," Jessica says.

"Hey Jessie," Skye smiles over at her daughter. "Was Uncle Lance giving you a piggy back ride?"

"Yeah," Jessica smiles.

"Well it's time to say goodbye now," Grant speaks up as he walks up behind them and pulls Jessica off of Hunter's back. "Come on, angel," he presses a kiss to her cheek. "Time to say goodbye to Uncle Lance and Aunt Bobbi."

"No," Jessica frowns. She looks at Hunter and Bobbi, "Stay."

"We can't, baby girl," Bobbi steps forward and takes her from Grant, holding her on her hip. "Uncle Lance and I have to get back home. But we're coming back here to see you for the Fourth of July."

"You are?" Jessica asks.

Bobbi nods her head and smiles, "Absolutely. Now gives us both a kiss so we can go."

Jessica smiles and throws her arms around Bobbi in a hug, pressing a kiss to the older woman's cheek. Then she leans over and reaches her arms out to Hunter.

Hunter takes the small child into his arms and hugs her, smiling at the big kiss she gives him on his cheek. "We'll see you soon, squirt."

"Love you, Uncle Lance," Jessica says.

"I love you, too, Jess," he smiles at her. He bends down and sets her feet on the carpet, watching with a smile as she goes over to her mom and stands in front of her legs, leaning back against them. Skye smiles down at her daughter and runs a hand through the little girls' hair.

"Well I'll guess we'll be going now," Bobbi says to everyone in the room. She looks at Skye, "Thanks again for having us here."

Skye waves her off, "No problem. I'm just glad you guys were able to get off base."

"So are we," Bobbi smiles. "You're coming back tomorrow, right?"

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. I should be back sometime in the afternoon."

Bobbi nods, "Good. We'll see you tomorrow, then." She looks over at Hunter, "Come on, we should be heading out."

"Right," Lance nods. He reaches out and grabs her hand, waving to the others as they head towards the front door, "See you guys soon."

"Bye," Skye smiles and waves at the two as they walk out the front door and close it behind them.

"I should probably be going now too," Kara speaks up. "Don't want to keep Ben waiting too much longer."

"Of course," Skye smiles. She looks down at her daughter, "Jessie, go say bye to Auntie Kara."

Jessica pushes off of her mom's legs and runs over to Kara, raising her arms into the air. Kara smiles and lifts Jessica into her arms, settling her on her hip. "Happy birthday, ladybug," she smiles at the girl and then presses a kiss to her cheek.

"Te amo, Auntie Kara."

"También te amo, Jessie." She sets the girl back on the carpet and looks up at Grant and Skye, "Have a safe trip back, Skye."

"Thanks," Skye smiles at her. "Tell Ben I say hello and that I can't wait to finally meet him."

"I will," Kara smiles. She makes her way towards the front door and pulls it open, stepping out onto the porch. "Bye guys," she smiles and waves at them as she shuts the door behind her.

"And then there were three," Grant says, stepping forward to pick up Jessica and swing her up onto his shoulder.

Jessica giggles and raises her hands in the air, trying to touch the ceiling.

"Come here, beautiful," Grant smiles, reaching out to grab Skye around the waist and pull her close. "I don't want you to go."

"I don't want to go either," she says, wrapping one arm around his waist and resting the other on his chest. "But I have to." She leans up and presses a kiss to his lips, "But let's not think about that right now. We still have plenty of time to spend together before I have to leave tomorrow. What should we do first?"

"Play! ¡Jugar!" Jessica exclaims from Grant's shoulders, smiling down at her parents.

Skye smiles up at her daughter, "We can definitely do that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Next chapter someone else is going to find out about Grant and Jessica. Any guesses on who it might be? :)
> 
> Also, still working on a special project for Brett. If you're interested, let me know. I'd love to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Everyone had some pretty great guesses for who the next to find out is. I think there may have only been one or two who guessed correctly.
> 
> I'm happy to say that this is the chapter where the next person finds out. I didn't originally plan for this person to find out, it was just going to be Bobbi and Hunter. But then the first round of guessing, quite a few people guessed this person. And the more I thought about it, it just seemed too perfect not to do. Had to rework some of the later chapters, but I'm actually pretty happy with it.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

_***April *** _

Hearing her phone go off on the couch cushion next to her, Skye picks up the phone and unlocks it to find a text from Grant with a video file attached **Big congratulations are in order, I believe.**

She furrows her brows slightly as she plugs her headphones into the device and then hits play on the video.

_The video shakes for a quick moment before it settles on Jessica standing in the middle of the hallway without any pants on._

_"Okay Jess," Grant's voice comes out from behind the phone, "go ahead and tell mamá what you did just now."_

_Jessica steps towards the screen with a smile, "¡Mamá! I pee pee on da potty! I a big girl!"_

_"Yes you are," Grant says and she can practically hear the smile of pure pride in his voice. "Is there anything else you want to tell mommy?"_

_"¡Te amo!" Jessica smiles, leaning forward to press her lips to the screen._

_The camera moves and then Grant's face is in the screen, "Our little girl is growing up, Skye. Time for the potty training to commence. I guess it's a good thing we already got her that toddler bed for her birthday. And maybe the next time you come by she'll be out of diapers completely." He smiles, "We love you, Skye. Jessie, dile adiós a mamá."_

_Jessica's head pops into the frame, "Adiós mamá."_

The video ends and Skye can't keep the wide smile off of her face.

Closing out of the video, she types a reply _I have a very wide smile on her face right now. Did she go all on her own? Or did you ask her if she had to go?_

**She's actually the one who asked me. She's very proud of herself at the moment.**

_Well I'm very proud of her too. Give her a big kiss for me, please._

**Will do. We miss you.**

_I miss you guys, too. But I'll be back again for the Fourth._

**I know.**

**Also, the construction work has now begun on the extra room.**

_Oh yay! I can't wait to see it when it's all done._

**Well hopefully it'll be done sometime next month so when you come by you'll be able to see it.**

_I'm looking forward to it._

_I wish I could keep talking with you, but I have to finish up some really important paperwork that unfortunately can't be put on the back burner. But we'll talk soon._

**Okay. I love you.**

_Love you too._

"Hey Skye."

Skye looks up to see Bobbi approaching her, "Bobbi, hey. I was just texting Grant; there is some very, very exciting news in the Ward household."

"You're pregnant again?" Bobbi guesses.

"Oh my goodness, no," Skye shakes her head with a small laugh. "No, that's not it." She looks at her friend, "Jess is going to officially start potty training now."

"Wow," Bobbi smiles. "That's some pretty big news."

"I know," Skye nods. "My baby girl isn't really that much of a baby anymore. She's walking and talking, isn't sleeping in a crib anymore, and now she's starting potty training. Where has all the time even gone? I feel like just the other day she smiled at me and Grant for the first time."

"That whole 'time flies' thing is really true then, huh?"

Skye nods, "Yeah. Absolutely."

"Has it flown by fast enough for you to want another little one running around your house and keeping you up at night?" Bobbi asks with a small smile.

Skye gives a small smile back, "Maybe. I'm sure Grant would love to have another, but I don't know if I'm quite ready to go through morning sickness, sore ankles and boobs, feeling completely fat, and the constant need to pee, all over again. Grant was really attentive during my pregnancy with Jess, and he loved getting to witness her kicking for the first time, so I know he'd love to have another one. Maybe in another year or so I'll talk to him about it. But for now I think I'm good with just one."

"One what?"

Both Bobbi and Skye turn their heads to see Mack approaching them.

"Mack, hey," Skye gives him a nervous smile. "What's up?"

He shrugs, "Not much. You?"

"Not a whole lot. Just relaxing."

Mack nods, "Yeah. I get that." He moves and sits down in one of the chairs across from them. "Sometimes with this job you just need a moment to sit back and take a break from all the crazy that goes on."

"Yes, it is exactly that," Skye gives him a smile.

Mack takes a deep breath, "So, what were you two talking about? You said you're just good with one," he directs at Skye. "What are you good with just one of?"

"Powers," Skye replies instantly. "Bobbi was asking me if I ever thought about having more than one power. I told her I'd never really considered it before."

"Is that even possible?" Mack asks with furrowed brows. "To have more than one Inhuman ability?"

"Not sure," Skye replies. "But if it is, I don't think I'd go for it. Like you overheard, I'm good with just one."

"Alright," Mack says, leaning back in his chair. "I get where you're coming from. I'm sure dealing with one power is plenty difficult, especially one of your magnitude. I can't even imagine—"

"Skye, you're just the woman I was looking for. I just saw an advert on TV for this great kid's toy that I think I might get for your kid for Christmas. But I thought I'd—"

"Hunter!" Bobbi exclaims, glaring daggers at her ex husband.

"What? What did I do?" he asks. Then he takes notice of the blank look on Skye's face as she stares straight ahead. He follows her line of sight to see Mack sitting with a confused look on his own face. "Oh, wow. I am a huge idiot," he says. "Skye, I am so sorry. I had no idea Mack was here."

"You really should pay closer attention to your surroundings," Bobbi tells him.

"Well I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't think there'd be anyone else in here. Most everyone's off base right now."

"You never think, that's one of your problems."

"Oh like you don't have any problems of your own. As a matter of fact, I distinctly remember—"

"Guys!" Skye shouts, getting their attention. "Can you not do this right now, please?"

"Sorry," they both grumble.

"Also, could you give me and Mack a few minutes? I feel like he's going to have a lot of questions for me."

"Yeah, of course," Bobbi nods. She stands up from the couch, "Call us if you need anything."

"I will," Skye gives her a grateful smile. She watches as the two walk out of the room, Bobbi giving Hunter a smack on the back of the head as they go down the hallway, and then turns back to face Mack.

She takes a deep breath to calm her racing heart as she watches different emotions come across Mack's face. "So…" she trails off. "There's no chance that I can try and play this off as you just hearing things incorrectly, is there?"

Mack shakes his head, "Afraid not, Tremors. You wanna tell me what's going on here? Did Hunter just say kid while talking to you?"

Skye nods, "Yeah, he did. I have a daughter."

Mack's quiet for a minute as he processes that information. "Is that why you left for so long?" he asks her.

Skye nods again, "Yeah. I didn't want anyone finding out."

"And I'm guessing that's also why you keep disappearing for a few days every few months."

"Yep. I go back to spend time with her."

"What's her name?"

"Jessica Katherine."

"How old is she?"

"Just turned two last month."

"Who's the dad? It's not Lincoln, is it?"

Skye shakes her head, "No, it's not. Lincoln and I never went that far. I couldn't, not with him."

"So if it's not Lincoln, then who's the dad?"

Skye takes a deep breath, "Grant Ward."

Mack furrows his brows in thought for a moment. "Grant Ward. Isn't he the one who betrayed your whole team because he was Hydra?"

"He was never a part of Hydra," she defends her husband. "Not technically. His SO was a part of Hydra and Grant just followed him because he felt like he owed the man his life. Garrett ended up going kind of crazy though and now he's dead. Coulson, May, and FitzSimmons never forgave Grant for everything he did to our team."

Mack raises a brow, "And you did?"

"I don't know if I can forgive him for some of the really horrible things that he's done, and I'm not giving him a pass or anything. But I love him; I can't deny that. And he's different now. He's not the same man he was before and I love being around him. He's an amazing father and a great husband and he—"

"Whoa whoa whoa, husband?" Mack raises an eyebrow, "You two got married? When?"

"New Years," Skye answers with a small smile. She reaches below her shirt to pull out the ring on its chain, showing it to Mack, "I always have it around my neck when I'm on base. But whenever I go home I put it on." She tucks the ring back under her shirt, "I didn't want to love him; I was so angry about everything that happened. But we started fooling around and then Jess happened and I stayed with him for my pregnancy and everything I ever felt for him just came rushing back to the surface during that time." She pauses and then bites her lip between her teeth, "Are you mad?"

"I wish you would have told me," he admits as he lets out a breath, leaning back in his chair. "We're partners, Tremors. You and I, we're not supposed to keep secrets from each other."

Skye nods, "I know. I just…I can't have anyone else finding out. Not yet. The immediate team, I don't think they'd take it too well because of everything that happened. I can't risk anything happening to Grant because the team can't move on from the past. And I don't want Jess around anything involving SHIELD; this isn't the kind of environment I want my daughter to be surrounded by. She deserves as normal of a childhood as Grant and I can give to her. Neither of us really had any kind of a childhood so we want to try and give her that as best we can."

Mack nods, "This life is a pretty crazy one."

She gives him a small smile, "Yeah, it is. So you get why I kept Grant and Jessica a secret."

"When did Bobbi and Hunter find out?"

"At her first birthday party. Coulson had them tail me because he was concerned. They walked in on the party and now they're Aunt Bobbi and Uncle Lance."

Mack's quiet for a moment. "So what would that make me?"

Skye grins, "Uncle Mack."

"Uncle Mack," he repeats. "I kind of like the sound of that. So when can I meet your little mini-me?"

Skye chuckles. "How about the Fourth of July? We're having a barbecue in our backyard; Bobbi and Hunter are going too."

"I could definitely go for a barbecue," he smiles.

"Great," Skye smiles back. "I'll have to check with Grant to make sure it's okay, and obviously let him know that someone else knows about him and Jess. But I'm sure everything will be fine. And just so you know, I hated keeping this from you. You're one of my best friends, Mack. I just couldn't risk Coulson, May, or FitzSimmons finding out. Or even Lincoln."

He nods, "I get it, Tremors. And I'm really glad you finally told me. Even if it is only because Hunter's an idiot."

Skye laughs, "Yes, he is that. But he's also a great Uncle. Jess adores him. And I'm sure you'll be a great Uncle too and that she'll adore you just as much as she does Hunter."

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see, then," he says with a small smile.

"Yes we will," she smiles back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Uncle Mack is now a thing. Who's excited? I am. :)
> 
> Also, working on a special project for Brett. If anyone is curious, let me know. I'd love to give you more info. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. This was definitely fun to write, but not in a good way. You'll see.
> 
> This chapter is exactly 1800 words. I love when that happens, a nice even number. :)
> 
> And now, enjoy.

* * *

_***May*** _

Skye lets out a soft grunt as her back hits the training mat hard, breathing heavily as she uses the back of her hand to wipe the few beads of sweat from her forehead. She quickly pushes herself back up onto her feet and faces her opponent once again, "Alright, that was a pretty good take down, Joey. You faltered a little bit for a moment there, so you just have to remember not to hesitate and just go right for it when you're in a real fight. One single moment of hesitation in a real fight can be the different between you or your opponent getting the upper hand. You always want to get the upper hand in a fight."

Joey nods his head in understanding, "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Don't be," she smiles reassuringly. "Other than just a few minor things to work on you're doing really well with hand to hand. You've really improved a lot since you first got here. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Skye," he smiles back. "I'm really trying my best to...hey, what's that?"

"What's what?" Skye asks, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"That right there," Joey says, pointing to a section of the bright blue training mat.

Skye's eyes follow his line of sight and finger and then go wide when she sees her thin gold wedding band lying on the mat. Her hand immediately flies up to her neck, finding her chain on the outside of her clothes and the small links broken in one spot.

"Oh," she finally speaks as Joey picks up the ring and looks it over, "that's uh...that's mine, actually."

Joey raises an eyebrow at her and gestures to the ring, "This is yours?"

"Yeah," she nods her head. "I like to keep it close so I have it on a necklace under my clothes because I don't want it to get in the way if I'm firing a gun or doing any hand-to-hand, you know?"

Joey nods slowly, "Yeah, that makes sense. But uh, I'm pretty sure that this is a wedding ring, Skye." He looks up at her, "Is there something you maybe want to tell me?"

Skye rolls her eyes and snatches the ring from him, "It's not a wedding ring, Joey. Do you honestly think that I'm married? Where would I have even found the time to date someone, let alone get married when I'm living my life as a secret agent for a semi-secret organization? You guys would all find out somehow. And I'm really busy running this team, doesn't leave a whole lot of time for dating, let alone marriage and all that goes along with it."

"Yeah, I guess you make some good points. But what about Lincoln? Weren't you two together for a while?"

Skye sighs, "We weren't actually together for very long. He and I just didn't work out in the end. And there's not really anyone else here that I'd consider dating."

Joey nods, "Alright. So if that ring isn't a wedding ring, then what exactly is it?"

"It's nothing," she shrugs. "Just one of the only pieces of my messed up past that I actually _want_ to hang onto. So don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay," Joey says. "I won't."

"Good, thank you," Skye gives him a small smile. "Now go and hit the showers, I think that's enough training for today. We'll pick back up again tomorrow."

Joey smiles, "Great, thanks." He turns and makes his way out of the gym towards his bunk.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Skye clutches her wedding ring tightly in her hand and then makes her way out of the gym and towards her bunk.

...

Closing and locking the door to her bunk behind her, Skye moves over to her bed and falls down onto it, grabbing her phone off of the nightstand.

Opening it up, she goes into the shell program and finds all the pictures that she saved from Grant. She pulls them up and starts scrolling through them, like she does sometimes. She smiles and laughs quietly at a few of the sillier pictures of her two favorite people.

After a few minutes she closes out of the photos and goes into her contact list. She selects Grant's number, hitting the button for a video call. She slides her wedding ring onto her finger as she waits for the call to connect.

A second later, Jessica's face appears in the center of the screen. She grins, _"¡Mamá!"_

Skye smiles back, "Hi, angel."

_"¡Mamá! Come home! ¡Ven a casa!"_

Skye smiles sadly, "Sorry, baby girl. Not yet. Not until the Fourth of July."

_"Why?"_

"Because I have to stay here for a little while so that I can come and stay with you and daddy later for a few days."

_"Kay. Te amo mamá."_

"I love you too, Jess," Skye smiles. "Now give me a really really big kiss."

Jessica leans towards the screen and presses her lips against it.

Skye laughs when Jessica pulls back, "Thanks, baby girl. Now put daddy on."

Jessica leans back and turns her head. _"Daddy,"_ she says.

 _"Thanks, Jess,"_ Grant says to his daughter, his face entering the screen. _"Why don't you go and play in your room with Buddy while I talk to mommy."_

 _"Kay,"_ Jessica climbs down and makes her way over to the dog, gently nudging him to go down the hallway.

The camera shakes as Grant shifts in his spot and then he's smiling into the camera, _"Hi, beautiful."_

"Hi, handsome," she smiles back. "How has your day been?"

 _"It's been alright,"_ he tells her. _"Haven't actually done a whole lot, mostly just sat around with Jess and watched TV or played some games. Jess only had two accidents so far today, so there's also that. Nothing else too exciting, though. But what about you? How has your day been?"_

She shrugs, "Pretty okay, I guess. Joey saw my wedding ring today while we were sparring. The chain broke somehow at some point without me realizing it so my ring fell off and he saw it on the mat after we were done. I managed to convince him that it was just something from my past, though. Guess this just means I have to be more careful in the future about it."

 _"Yeah,"_ he agrees with a nod. _"Or…you could always tell everyone about me and Jess and then come and stay with us forever,"_ he smiles. _"Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack already know so there aren't too many people left you'd have to tell."_

She tilts her head and smiles, "You know that I want to do that, so very badly. But it's just not the right time yet."

 _"Well when_ is _it going to be the right time?"_ he asks. _"You keep saying that you don't want to leave unless you know your team is ready to handle everything without you there. And that you're slowly easing them into everything for once you do leave. But it's been two years now, Skye, I think your team will be perfectly fine without you there all the time to watch them."_

Skye sighs, "I just...I want to be really sure about this. And there are a couple of new Inhumans that I'm still helping get settled into this crazy new lifestyle. I can't just leave them right now and then never come back. They're really relying on me, Grant. They need me right now."

 _"Well we need you too,"_ Grant tells her seriously. _"Jess really misses you, a lot more than you know. I think she's starting to notice you being gone all time and she's always asking me when you're going to be back again. She gets really sad sometimes when she wakes up and you aren't here. This isn't right, Skye. She's getting older and starting to notice these kinds of things. She shouldn't have to ask and wonder about when you're going to come home next and then get sad when you're here one day and gone the next."_

"You think I don't know that?!" she asks with tears shining in her eyes. "I _hate_ having to be away from you guys for so long and then only getting to spend a few days at a time with the both of you when I'm there. I want to stay with you two permanently, but I can't do that just yet. Not until I know for a fact that everything is squared away here with my team."

_"Well I wish you'd square everything away with them all sooner rather than later."_

"So do I," she tells him. "But these kinds of things take time, okay? I was put in charge of this team and I can't just up and leave them and then never come back without any plans or preparations. I have to make sure that whoever I hand the reigns over to is fully prepared to deal with all of the responsibility that comes with running this team. I've told you all of this before. Why the hell is it so hard for you to understand this?"

_"I don't know. Sometimes it feels like you don't actually want to leave, Skye. That you're just stringing us along and aren't going to stay here permanently. I need my wife and Jessica needs her mom. More than just for a few days at a time every few months."_

Skye looks at him with shock written on her face. "Do you honestly think that I'm doing all of this on purpose? That I'd rather be here, sometimes risking my life on missions, instead of being at home with you and Jess?"

" _I don't know, you tell me."_ They're both quiet until Grant lets out a deep sigh, " _Look, I have a lot of things I need to do so I'm going to go now."_

Skye swallows thickly, "Okay."

" _I'll talk to you later,"_ he says offhandedly.

Skye nods her head, "Yeah. I love you."

 _"Yeah, bye,"_ Grant says without looking at her and then ends the video call.

When the call ends, Skye locks her phone and sets it down beside her on the bed. She wipes furiously at her eyes with her fingers to keep her tears at bay and then scoots down on the bed so she's lying back on her pillow.

Turning onto her side, she holds her hands up in front of her face, gently toying with the gold wedding band sitting on her ring finger.

Pulling her hand in close to her chest, practically curling in on it, she closes her eyes as she feels the tears start to fall from her eyes, soaking the material of the pillow beneath her head as she quietly cries herself to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me! I couldn't have everything be happy the whole time. Had to throw some kind of curve ball in there. But don't worry, it won't stay like this forever. I promise.
> 
> Also, still working on a special project for Brett. If you're interested, let me know. I'd be happy to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! New update for all of you lovely people. I loved reading all your thoughts on the last chapter. Very wonderful. I apologize for not updating earlier in the day, I've been busy all day getting my house ready for this weekend. We have people coming over because my older sister is getting married this weekend. Yay! :) I'm so excited! But I'm updating now, so yeah.
> 
> Here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy!

_***A week and a half later*** _

"What's got you acting all mopey recently?"

Skye lifts her head from staring down into her cereal bowl to see Lincoln standing near her, a small smile on his face.

"Lincoln, hey. What's up?"

Lincoln shrugs, "I was just walking by and saw you in here staring at your breakfast." He pulls himself up onto the stool next to her, "You haven't been acting at all like your usual self for the past week and a half. Joey even said you cancelled the training sessions you had set up with him. I'm starting to get really worried about you, Skye. If it's any kind of medical issue, you know I can help you."

She gives him a half-hearted smile, "I'm fine, Lincoln, I promise. It's nothing that you or any kind of medicine can fix. I just had a pretty big disagreement with someone that I really care about and I'm feeling a little guilty about what happened because it's mainly my fault."

"Well what happened?" Lincoln asks. "Maybe you're feeling guiltier than you should be."

She shakes her head, "No, the amount of guilt I have right now is most definitely deserved. And I'd really rather not talk about it."

He nods his head, "Okay, that's fine. I get it. We can talk about something else."

"Look, I appreciate you always being so willing to sit and listen to me, but I'm not really feeling like talking much right now, okay?"

Lincoln nods again, "Yeah, okay."

Skye looks back down at her cereal again and pushes it around with her spoon while Lincoln just sits quietly, his head down.

"Skye."

Skye lifts her head to see Bobbi approaching her, a concerned look on her face.

"Hey," she greets her friend with a small smile.

Bobbi smiles back, "Hey. I was just wondering if..." she trails off when she sees Lincoln sitting next to Skye. She looks back at Skye, "I was uh, I was wondering about how that…thing is going that you mentioned to me at the beginning of last week."

Skye sighs, "Not well. Still nothing except for the usual."

"I'm sorry," Bobbi says. "I'm sure things will turn around soon."

"I sure hope so," Skye gives her a tight-lipped smile. "This past week and a half has been a very, _very_ difficult one. I just wish that something would—" A beep from her phone cuts her off. She digs inside her pocket and pulls her phone out and unlocks it to find a new text from Grant within the shell program. She quickly opens it to read the message **Call me so we can talk? Please?**

She gives a small smile at the message before typing back a quick reply _Give me a second to get alone._

She looks up at Bobbi and Lincoln, "Sorry, guys. I have to go, this is really important."

"Is it...?" Bobbi trails off.

Skye smiles and nods, "Yeah."

Bobbi smiles, "Good, it's about damn time. You better go."

"Right," Skye nods. She quickly makes her way out of the room and towards her bunk, already pulling up a phone call with Grant and holding the phone up to her ear.

As soon as she closes and locks the door to her bunk, she hears his voice come through the speaker, _"Hello?"_

"Grant," she breathes out. She makes her way over to her bed and sits down on it, pulling one leg up underneath of her, the other hanging down. "You said you wanted to talk?"

_"Yeah. Jess probably won't be up for a little while yet so I thought now would be a good time to talk. You weren't busy with anything important, were you?"_

She shakes her head, "No, I wasn't."

_"Good, good. So uh, I guess this is where we talk about things."_

"Yeah, I guess so. Where do we start?"

 _"I'm not really sure,"_ he tells her. _"The last time I remember fighting like this, you just jumped by bones and then left."_

"Those were some pretty good times," she nods with a fond smile. She takes a deep breath, "I think I should start by saying that I'm sorry. I never wanted you two to feel the way that you do about me being gone for so long at a time."

 _"And I'm sorry too,"_ he says. _"It was never my intention to make you feel guilty for your choice. I know it's been pretty tough for you."_

"It has. That's why I really love and treasure every moment that I get to spend with you and Jess at home. You two help keep me grounded in this ridiculously crazy world that I'm still a part of."

 _"Same goes for me,"_ Grant says. _"Not talking to you this past week and a half has been absolute torture. I missed hearing your voice."_

"I missed hearing your voice too." She lets out a small laugh, "Wow. We are so unbelievable sappy right now."

Grant chuckles, _"There's no one else I'd rather be sappy with."_

"Same here," she smiles. "You've definitely changed me, Grant Ward."

_"No, I think you're the one who changed me. For the better, I might add."_

"I think we changed each other for the better."

 _"Yes we did,"_ he nods.

There's a beat of silence and then Skye speaks up again, "I really miss you and Jess."

" _We really miss you too,"_ Grant tells her. _"But you'll be here for the Fourth, right?"_

"Yeah," she nods. "I wish I could come by sooner, but I don't want anyone getting suspicious."

" _I get it,"_ Grant says. _"We'll just have to satisfy ourselves by talking to you on the phone and with video calls."_

"Yes we will."

" _Hey Skye?"_

"Yeah?"

" _I love you."_

She smiles, "I love you too. And I promise you that I will get out of here soon."

" _Really?"_

"Yeah. Give me…until the end of next year, tops. There's a few things I want to try with the team to see who might be best at taking over for me and it might take a little while. But if I don't make a definitive decision before the end of December next year, then I'll just leave. I don't know if I'll tell the rest of the team about you and Jess right away, but I'll leave. I promise."

" _You really mean that?"_

Skye nods, even though he can't see, "I really mean it. I'm going to come home permanently. Do you think you can hold on for a little while longer?"

" _Yeah, I think I can do that."_

"Good. I love you so much, Grant Ward."

" _I love you so much, too, Skye Ward."_

* * *

_***June *** _

"How'd the op go?" Coulson asks Skye as she makes her way through the base, still dressed in her tactical gear.

Skye turns towards him and gives him a small smile, "It was good. Everybody did really well, still a few things to work on, though. But other than that it went off without a hitch."

"Good," Coulson nods. "I'd like your reports on my desk in the morning."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Skye lets out a breath.

Coulson raises a brow, "You were?"

Skye nods, "Yeah. I was planning on hitting the showers and then going to bed. That op was pretty exhausting."

"Alright," Coulson nods. "Sleep well."

"I will," she smiles. "Thanks." She watches as he walks away and then turns around to make her way towards her bunk.

Once she reaches her bunk, she steps inside and shuts and locks the door behind her, making her way over to the closet.

She removes her gauntlets and sets them off to the side where they won't get damaged, followed by her belt, and then unzips her top. She pulls the skin tight material off of her body and tosses it into the laundry bin, leaving her in just her tank top and pants. She reaches up and pulls the elastic band out of her hair, letting her dark brown hair fall in waves down her back. As she goes to remove her pants, her cell phone goes off from where she had set it down on her bed upon entering the room.

Stepping over to the bed, she picks it up and unlocks it to see a new text in the shell program from Grant with a photo attached **Call us? We want to say goodnight.** The photo shows both Grant and Jessica, their cheeks pressed together with wide smiles on both of their faces.

Smiling to herself, she opens up a video call with Grant and then sits down on her bed, leaning back against the wall behind her.

A few seconds later, the call connects and both Grant's and Jessica's faces appear on her screen, Jessica's face sitting closer.

 _"¡Mamá!"_ Jessica exclaims when she sees Skye, a wide smile on her tiny face.

"Hey angel," Skye smiles back. "Daddy said you wanted to call me."

Jessica nods, _"¡Sí! Wanna say g'night."_

 _"Jess was very insistent about calling you to say goodnight,"_ Grant smiles. _"But of course it's not like I was going to turn down a chance to talk to my completely and utterly gorgeous wife."_

Skye smiles, "You, sir, are a major flirt, did you know that?"

He smiles and nods, _"Maybe a little."_

Skye just laughs.

 _"¡Mamá!"_ Jessica shouts into the camera, getting closer to the screen.

"Sorry, baby," Skye smiles at her daughter. "You called to say goodnight to me, not so daddy could flirt with me. Did you have a good day today with daddy?"

 _"Yeah,"_ Jessica nods. _"We played at da park wif Ian."_

"You went and played at the park with Ian?"

 _"Yeah,"_ Jessica nods again. _"And Buddy."_

"And Buddy," Skye repeats. "Sounds like it was a very fun day."

 _"We did have a pretty good time,"_ Grant smiles. _"Of course, Jess didn't want to leave when it was time to come back home for dinner. She almost threw a fit in the middle of the park but thankfully she didn't."_

"What did you promise her?" Skye asks him with a blank look.

_"What makes you think I promised her something?"_

"I know you, babe. I know you promised her something."

He sighs, _"Fine. I promised her that when you come down for the Fourth we'll all go to the park and even get some ice cream. Hunter and Bobbi can come with us if they're able to. And Mack as well."_

Skye purses her lips in thought, "I guess that's not so bad."

 _"See, I know how to parent,"_ he smiles.

"This coming from the man who almost traumatized our two year old daughter the other day by showing her a scary movie."

 _"You're still holding that against me?"_ he asks her.

She nods her head, "Mm-hmm. You're just lucky that she fell asleep before it got too scary. Otherwise I would have had some very serious words with you."

 _"Oh I don't doubt that for a second,"_ he chuckles. _"But I believe we called you for another purpose; for you to say goodnight to the little angel."_ He reaches out and grabs Jessica around the waist, pulling the small child back into his lap, making her giggle.

"Right, of course," Skye smiles. "Are you in your jammies?" she asks her daughter.

Jessica nods, _"Uh-huh. Da ones wif elfants,"_ she points to the animal scattered all across the fabric of her pajamas.

"Ooh, good choice. Did daddy give you your bath?"

Jessica nods again, _"Yeah. See?"_ she holds up some of her wet hair in front of the camera.

"I see, good job. And did you brush your teeth?"

 _"All over,"_ Jessica says.

"Good girl," Skye smiles. "And did you go potty?"

 _"Uh-huh,"_ Jessica smiles proudly.

Skye takes a deep breath, "Well Jessie, I think you are all ready for bed. What do you think?"

 _"Yeah,"_ Jessica smiles. _"Mamá, canta, por favor."_

"You want me to sing to you while you go to sleep?"

Jessica nods, _"Sí."_

"Alright, I think I can do that, but only a tiny bit of a song. What do you want me to sing?"

" _Bon Jovi,"_ Jessica answers.

"And which song by Bon Jovi would you like?" Skye asks.

Jessica thinks for a minute, _"Uh, Wherever You Are."_

Skye smiles, " _Welcome to Wherever You Are_ , an excellent choice. Are you all tucked in bed?"

" _Espere,"_ Jessica holds up one of her tiny hands to the screen. Then she slides down off of Grant's lap and hurries over to her bed, climbing up on it and underneath of the covers.

The camera shifts as Grant moves over to the bed and sits down on the edge of it, leaning back so his head is resting against the wall, holding the camera so both he and Jessica are in the frame.

"Are you ready?" Skye asks after a minute.

 _"Yeah,"_ Jessica replies with a small nod, snuggling deep under her covers and pulling her ladybug doll closer to her.

"Alright, here we go." Skye takes a deep breath and then opens her mouth to softly sing, _"Maybe we're all different, but we're still the same. We all got the blood of Eden running through our veins. I know sometimes it's hard for you to see, you're caught between just who you are and who you want to be. If you feel alone and lost and need a friend, remember every new beginning, is some beginning's end. Welcome to wherever you are. This is your life, you made it this far. Welcome, you gotta believe, that right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be. Welcome, to wherever you are."_

Once she finishes singing, she smiles when she notices Jessica's eyes fluttering closed. "Good night, my angel," she whispers into the phone's microphone. "Sleep tight. Mommy loves you."

 _"Buenas noches, mamá,"_ Jessica says sleepily. _"Te amo."_

 _"Buenas noches, Jess,"_ Grant whispers, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

_"Buenas noches, daddy."_

The camera shifts again as Grant stands from the bed and makes his way into the hallway, shutting Jessica's door behind him and turning off the light. _"She's out,"_ he smiles into the camera as he makes his way out into the living room. _"Your beautiful voice has done it once again,"_ he tells her, sitting down on the couch.

"Glad I could help," Skye smiles.

 _"Me too,"_ Grant smiles back.

Skye lets out a yawn, "I think I'm going to follow in Jess' footsteps and go to bed now too after I take a shower. I'm really exhausted after today's op."

Grant nods, _"I remember what that's like. Go take a hot shower, sleep tight, then wake up tomorrow and do some more good in the world. I love you."_

Skye smiles, "I love you too. Bye."

_"Bye."_

Ending the video call, Skye locks her phone and sets it down on the small table next to her bed. She stands up from her bed and goes back over to the closet, continuing to get ready for her shower and then bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> They made up, yay! :) And Skye has set a deadline for herself.
> 
> Quick note, probably won't update again until sometime on Sunday. Going to be crazy busy all day on Saturday because my sister is getting married! Woo hoo! So yeah.
> 
> *Mommy, sing, please  
> *Wait
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Thanks for being understanding for why I didn't update yesterday. It was such a long few days, but my older sister is now married! Woo! We're all super glad that it was so nice outside all day because her reception was outside and it would have sucked if it started raining or something. But it was a lot of fun. And I'm super happy for her. :)
> 
> Guys! This is chapter 22. The last chapter will be 32. We only have ten chapters left of this story. Holy crap.
> 
> And now, the chapter. Enjoy!

_***July*** _

Hearing a knock at the front door, Skye makes her way through the house from the kitchen, picking up the remote to the television and shutting it off as she goes.

Pulling the door open, she smiles when she sees Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack standing on the other side, "Hey guys. Come on in," she opens the door wider, allowing them to step inside. "How was the ride down?"

"It was alright," Bobbi tells her as she, Hunter, and Mack step inside the house.

"Aunt Bobbi!"

Bobbi turns her head to see Jessica running at full speed towards her through the house, colliding with her legs as she hugs her. Bobbi smiles and bends down to pick the little girl up and hug her back. "Hi Jess," she settles the girl on her hip. "Happy Fourth."

"Happy Fourf," Jessica smiles. "We're havin a fiesta."

"Sí, lo sé," Bobbi smiles. "That's why Uncle Lance and I are here. Are you ready to watch some fireworks tonight?"

"Yeah," Jessica nods. "Gonna be lots of colores."

"Fireworks do have a lot of colors," Bobbi smiles and nods. "And they all look really cool too, huh?"

Jessica nods, "Yeah."

"Hey Jess," Skye speaks up, stepping forward to take Jessica from Bobbi's arms. "There's somebody mommy wants you to meet."

"¿Quien?" Jessica asks, wrapping her arms around Skye's neck.

"His name is Mack," Skye explains. "I work with him." She moves over towards the tall muscular man standing against the door, "Jessica, this is Mack. Mack, this is Jessica."

"Nice to meet you, kiddo," Mack gives her a smile. "You look just like your mom, did you know that?"

Jessica nods, "Daddy says that lots."

"Well he's a very smart man," Mack says.

"I love my daddy," Jessica smiles.

"And daddy loves you too," Skye tells her daughter, pressing a kiss to her temple. She takes a deep breath, "Alright, angel, why don't you take Uncle Lance, Aunt Bobbi, and Mack outside and show them your pool that daddy just bought you."

Jessica smiles, "Kay."

"You can't get in it though because it's not time for swimming," she tells her daughter as she passes her off to Bobbi. She looks at Bobbi, "Please make sure she doesn't try and get in."

Bobbi nods, "Will do."

"Great, thanks. I just have a few things to finish up in here and then I'll come outside and join you guys. The party doesn't start for a few more hours so people probably won't start arriving for a little while."

"Sounds good," Bobbi smiles. "We'll just be outside, then." She turns around and makes her way into the backyard, Hunter and Mack following right behind her.

...

"Mamá," Jessica speaks up as she toddles through the grass towards Skye.

"Hi, angel," Skye smiles down at her daughter, running a hand through the little girls' long hair.

"Mamá, where Auntie Kara?"

"She's not here yet, baby," Skye tells the little girl. "But she should be here very soon. She texted me a little while ago and said that she's on her way."

"Hello?"

"Auntie Kara!" Jessica shouts, running over to the back door to greet Kara.

Kara smiles when she sees Jessica, "Hello my little ladybug." She bends down and picks the girl up, setting her on her hip as she presses a kiss to her cheek. "Oh I've missed you."

"Yo también," Jessica smiles.

"Jessie, there's somebody I want you to meet." She reaches back and grabs the hand of the tall blonde man standing behind her and gently tugs him forward so he's standing next to her. "Jess, this is my boyfriend Ben. Ben, this is my goddaughter Jessica."

"Hi there," Ben smiles at Jessica.

"Hola," Jessica says.

"Kara, hey," Skye greets her friend with a smile as she approaches her, Grant following right behind her. She pulls Kara into a hug, "So glad you finally made it."

"Me too," Kara smiles at Skye when they break apart from their hug. "Oh, Skye, Grant, I'd like you both to meet my boyfriend Ben. Ben, this is Skye and her husband Grant, Jessica's parents."

"So nice to finally meet you," Skye smiles at Ben.

"You as well," Ben smiles kindly at her with a small nod of his head. "Kara's told me a lot about you guys."

"Only good things, I hope," Skye glares playfully at her friend.

Ben chuckles, "Not a single bad word was uttered about either of you."

"That's nice to know," Grant says.

"Now come on," Skye speaks up, "there's a party going on out here and Kara needs to introduce you to some more of the great people here," she smiles at Ben. She turns towards her daughter and reaches out to take her from Kara, "Come on, angel. Let's go find Ian and see what he's up to right now."

"Ian!" Jessica smiles.

Skye laughs quietly and then turns around, making her way out into the yard, Grant right behind her with a hand resting on her lower back.

"So what do you think of them?" Kara asks Ben once Grant and Skye are out of earshot.

"They're nice people," he says. "And their daughter is adorable."

"Yes she is," Kara smiles and nods. "She's their entire world."

"I can see why," Ben smiles. "And did she say something in Spanish earlier?"

Kara nods, "Yeah, but that was nothing. You should hear her when she really gets going in Spanish, it's pretty amazing. Grant's been talking to her in Spanish before she was even born so she's been learning both English and Spanish as she grows up."

"Wow, impressive," Ben nods.

"I think so too," Kara smiles. "And it's fun getting to talk to her in Spanish. When she's really excited sometimes she'll usually repeat what she said in English in Spanish. And when she's really tired or first wakes up in the morning her default language is Spanish which I think is just beyond adorable. You think it would be English, but nope, it's Spanish."

"That sounds very cute," Ben smiles. "Now come on, I think Skye said something about you having to introduce me to more people."

Kara smiles, "Yes she did." She grabs his hand in hers and starts pulling him across the yard, "Let's go."

...

"It's almost time for the fireworks to start, where's Jess?" Skye asks her husband from their spots sitting in lounge chairs in their backyard, both pairs of eyes scanning the yard for the two year old.

Grant shakes his head with furrowed brows, "I'm not sure. I don't see her."

"Did we seriously lose our child in our own backyard?" Skye questions. "Because that might be considered either very pathetic or just really bad parenting."

"It's not bad parenting," Grant tells her, turning his head to look at her. "It's not like she could have even gotten that far, someone would have stopped her. I'm sure she'll pop up at some point during the night before everyone leaves and then you'll see that—oh, look, there she is," he points to an area of the yard.

Skye turns her head to see Ben walking towards them with Jessica clinging to his back.

"There you are, Jessie," Skye says to her daughter. "Daddy and I were wondering where you ran off to."

"I was wif Ben," Jessica states.

"I can see that," Skye smiles. She looks up at the Ben, "I hope she didn't cause you too much trouble."

Ben waves her off, "She was perfectly fine. I have a few nieces and one of them is about a year older than Jess so it wasn't anything I'm not used to. But I figured you'd probably want her back considering the fireworks are going to start soon."

"You thought correct," Skye smiles and nods. "You ready to watch some fireworks, baby girl?" Skye asks her daughter.

Jessica nods, "¡Sí! Con Auntie Kara y Ben."

"I think you're mom and dad want you to sit with them for the fireworks show," Ben tells the little girl, turning his head to look at her.

Jessica shakes her head and clings tighter to Ben's back, "No. Yo no quiero."

Skye sighs and looks at Ben, "Do you mind letting her sit with you guys? I don't think she's going to let up on this anytime soon and I'd really rather her not throw a tantrum right now with everyone here."

Ben chuckles quietly, "I get it. And it's fine. We've already been having a lot of fun, haven't we?" he directs towards Jessica.

Jessica smiles, "Yeah."

"Well then I guess you two better continue your fun during the fireworks show," Skye smiles.

"Fair warning, though," Grant speaks up, "she may fall asleep before the show is over. If she does, I apologize ahead of time. And she can get very clingy when she's tired or on her way to falling asleep."

"Thanks," Ben smiles. "We should probably get back to Auntie Kara before the show starts."

"Auntie Kara," Jessica smiles. "Let's go, Ben," she kicks her legs against him. "¡Vamonos!"

"Alright, alright," Ben smiles. "We're going." He turns around and makes his way through the yard and over towards Kara.

Grant and Skye watch as Ben turns his back towards Kara, bending down slightly to deposit Jessica into her lap before taking up the seat next to her and draping an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean into him.

"They're pretty cute together," Skye muses as she watches the couple interact with her daughter, making the little girl laugh. "How long do you think it'll be before they have one of their own?"

"Skye…" Grant warns his wife.

She turns towards him, "What? It was an honest question, Grant."

"Maybe so," he nods. "But Ben and Kara haven't even been dating for a year. I don't think marriage is a conversation they're having quite yet, let alone thinking about kids."

"You and I weren't even dating when we found out about Jess. We'd never even talked about the possibility of something like that happening."

"Do you have some kind of point?" Grant asks. "Because our situation is nowhere close to Ben and Kara's. Or anyone else's, for that matter."

Skye sighs, "My point is, Ben is great with kids and they seem to really care about each other. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they ended up engaged within the next year or so."

"Well I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

"Yes we will," Skye nods once, leaning back in her chair and resting her head on Grant's shoulder as the first of the fireworks explodes in the night sky above them.

...

"Well I'd say that was a very successful Fourth of July party," Skye tells Grant as she carries a passed out Jessica inside the house.

"Yes it was," he nods. "Even though Jess fell asleep before the fireworks were even over, just like we thought she would. She was really looking forward to seeing the fireworks, so I'm glad she got to see some of it before she got tired. Want me to put her to bed?" he asks.

Skye shakes her head, "No, I got her. I'll put her to bed and then meet you in our room."

"Okay," he nods, dropping a kiss to her temple before making his way into their bedroom.

Skye goes into the room across from theirs and walks over to the changing table that they have yet to remove and lies Jessica down on top of it.

Jessica stirs for a moment and Skye quietly shushes her and then steps over to the dresser to grab a pair of pajamas for the child.

As carefully as she can, Skye removes her daughters' clothes and tosses them into the laundry hamper.

Then she grabs the pajamas and skillfully slides them onto the sleeping child, causing her to stir only a little.

When she's fully dressed, Skye lifts her daughter off of the changing table and carries her over to her bed, lying her down and tucking her blankets around her small body and making sure she has her ladybug doll.

"Mamá," Jessica mumbles as she shifts in her bed.

"Shh, baby girl," Skye kneels down next to the bed and moves some of Jessica's hair out of her face. "Go back to sleep."

She drops a kiss to Jessica's forehead and then stands up, shutting off the lights and closing the door as she makes her way out of the room.

"Baby girl is out cold," Skye tells her husband as she enters their bedroom. He's already lying in their bed, a book open in his lap. Skye moves towards the closet and changes out of her clothes into pajamas; a pair of shorts and a tank top.

She lets out a breath as she falls down onto the bed, "I don't want to go back to base tomorrow."

Grant turns his head to look at her, "We don't want you to go back either." He closes his book and sets it on the nightstand next to the bed, "But how about we make the time we have left tonight count for something." He smiles and leans down to press his lips against hers.

Skye smiles against his lips, "I think we can definitely do that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *party  
> *Yes, I know  
> *colors  
> *Who?  
> *Me too  
> *With Auntie Kara and Ben
> 
> Also, still working on a special project for Brett, if you're interested, let me know. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. I wanted to update this morning, but I just started work where my dad works, and I had to be there at 7:30 so I spent the morning getting ready. But I'm here now and I'm here to update. :)
> 
> Thanks so much, everyone, for all your love so far. You're all amazing. :)
> 
> And now, enjoy!

_***August*** _

Hearing her phone go off from its place sitting next to her on the couch cushion, Skye picks it up and unlocks it, going into the shell program to find a new text from Grant with a photo attached to it **Ben and Kara came by the house to hang out for a few hours today. When it was time for Jess' nap I went into the living room and found this.** The photo shows Ben lying stretched out on the living room couch with his eyes closed. Jessica is lying asleep on his chest, one hand clutching a fistful of his t-shirt, the other clutching her ladybug doll, Bug.

Skye smiles at the photo and then types back a reply _That is way beyond cute. I had my suspicions on the Fourth but I think this just proves that Ben might be Jess' new favorite person._

**I think you may be right about that. She hardly even wanted to play with me or Kara today. I think I might be getting replaced, Skye.**

_No one could ever replace you, babe. You are her daddy and she loves you. Just like I love you._

**I know. And I love you too.**

_Good. And I definitely want more pictures of Jess and Ben. That sight is just way too adorable._

**Already ahead of you. I got a bunch of pictures of the two them playing together earlier. Jess actually managed to coerce him into playing dress up with her. If I remember correctly, they were superheroes. Or more accurately, Jess was the superhero and Ben was her sidekick. And of course Buddy was there too.**

Skye laughs quietly _Oh I would love to have seen that. It sounds incredible._

**It was pretty great. I'll show you all the pictures I took of them when you come home again.**

_Sounds like a plan._

_I should probably go now, I have some paperwork that I need to finish, but I'll see you soon. I love you._

**I love you too.**

_Give Jess a hug and kiss from me when she wakes up._

**Will do.**

"Bobbi!" Skye calls out when she sees the other agent walking past the common room. "Come here," she waves her over, "you have to see this."

"What is it?" Bobbi asks, sitting down next to Skye.

"Grant just sent me a picture of Ben and Jess. Apparently they fell asleep together on the couch and Grant found them when he went to get Jess to put her down for her nap. Look," she holds her phone up in front of Bobbi, allowing her to see the picture.

"Aww," Bobbi smiles. "Looks like Jess has found a new playmate."

"Yep," Skye nods, closing out of the program and locking her phone. "I've said it before and I'm going to say it again, Ben and Kara better not break up. Because if they do, I'm almost 100% positive that Jess will somehow be devastated."

"And I would not like to be there for that," Bobbi says.

"Neither would I," Skye replies.

"So, I was on my way down to the gym to work out when you called me in here," Bobbi tells Skye. "Care to join me for a sparring session?"

Skye thinks for a minute, "Well, I probably should finish up these reports for Coulson. But I think I can take a break for some sparring. I've been meaning to get in some more practice."

"Excellent," Bobbi smiles and then stands from the couch. "I'll meet you down there."

"Great," Skye smiles, already saving her files and closing her laptop.

_***September*** _

"Skye."

Skye turns her head to see Coulson approaching her in the hallway right outside her bunk. "Coulson, hey. What's up?"

"Did you ever get around to running that—"

"Yes," Skye cuts him off. "The program is running on my laptop as we speak. I took a little break to hit the gym and get some food while I let it run its course but now I'm going to check on its progress."

"Great," Coulson nods. "I'd like whatever you can get me as soon as possible."

"Copy that, D.C," she smiles at him and gives him a mock salute.

Her phone goes off in her pocket before either of them can get another word out.

"Sorry," she says, reaching into her back pocket to pull her phone out. "Just one second," she unlocks it and goes into the shell program to find a new text from Grant with a photo attached **Today was Trevor's first day of kindergarten and we decided to accompany Kendra, Trevor, and Ian on their walk up to the school. When we got there neither Ian or Jessica wanted to let him go into his classroom.** The photo shows both Ian and Jessica wrapped around Trevor's legs outside of his classroom.

 _Aww, that's so sweet. Wish I could have been there_ Skye writes back with a smile on her face.

"Skye? Are you alright?"

Skye lifts her head to see Coulson still standing in front of her. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked you if you're alright. You seem to have gone somewhere else for a moment."

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine, totally fine. I promise," she gives him half a smile.

Coulson nods slowly, "Okay. But you'd tell me if you weren't, right?"

She nods her head, "Yeah, of course."

"Good. I guess I'll let you get back to the program to check its progress, then."

Skye nods, "Right. I'll let you know as soon as I have something for you." She gives him a small smile before turning around and continuing her way down the hallway.

She holds her phone back up to see a new text from Grant **It was sweet until it was time to leave.**

_She didn't want to leave?_

Skye steps inside her bunk and shuts the door tightly behind her, making sure to lock it.

**No, she did not. Neither of them did. Both Jess and Ian threw somewhat of a fit. Thankfully it didn't get too bad. Kendra and I managed to calm them both down before we gained an audience in the middle of the hallway.**

_That's good._

Skye moves over to her bed and sits down, pulling her laptop closer to her to check on the progress of the program she has running.

A new beep from her phone makes her look back at it.

**Yeah. And hey, we should really have that talk soon about the whole preschool thing.**

Skye lets out a sigh and leans back against the wall, crossing her legs in front of her _I know. It's just a little weird, you know? The idea of Jess going to preschool makes me feel old for some reason. And I'm not even that old; I'm barely 31._

**How do you think I feel? I'm quite a bit older than you.**

_Not by that much, babe._

**Maybe so, but the idea of her going to preschool is pretty weird for me too.**

_Let's just agree that it's weird for the both of us. She's our baby girl, Grant. She's growing up way too fast for my liking._

**Does it ever make you think about having another one? To fill the void of once she goes off to school full time?**

Skye huffs _What is it with this subject? Bobbi literally asked me the same thing a few months ago. My goodness. You both seem awfully into the idea of me and you having another child when I'm the one who will actually have to carry the kid for nine months and then push it out of my body._

**So is this you saying that you want another baby?**

_I'm not saying that I don't._

**I'll take that as a possibly, then.**

_You go right ahead and do that. We'll discuss it later._

**Works for me.**

**When are you going to be able to come back again?**

_I might be able to sneak away for a couple days at the end of next month. We could all go out trick-or-treating again as a family._

**I definitely like the sound of that.**

_So do I. :) And, as much as it truly pains my heart to say it, we can start discussing preschool options for Jess._

**Sounds like a plan. I guess we'll see you next month then.**

_Hopefully. I can't make any promises on if I can actually get away. But I'm going to try my hardest. I have to go now; have to do some important SHIELD stuff for Coulson. But I'll talk to you later, I love you._

**I love you too.**

Closing out of the program and locking her phone, Skye sets the device on the nightstand next to her bed. She sits forward on her bed, pulling her laptop into her lap, and begins sifting through all the data in her running program.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Also, working on a special project for Brett. If you're interested, let me know. I'd be happy to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya!
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

_***October*** _

Stepping up to the front of the house, Skye inserts her key into the lock and twists the knob, pushing the door open. She steps inside and closes the door behind her, setting her duffel bag down on the carpet right inside the door and placing her keys on top. She takes a few steps into the house, keeping an ear out for any noises.  
Soft padding against the carpet pulls her attention towards the living room. She smiles when she sees Buddy making his way over to her. She squats down and rubs the dogs head, "Hey Buddy. Have you been a good boy while I was away?"

The dog simply nuzzles against her palm in response, stepping closer to her.

Skye smiles at the dog and then stands up, making her way further into the house.

Approaching the end of the hallway, she hears quiet noises coming from one of the bedrooms. She steps towards her daughters closed bedroom door, pressing her ear up against. When she doesn't hear anything she steps away, moving across the hall to her and Grant's bedroom. She presses her ear against the wood, smiling to herself when she hears her husband talking in hushed tones to their daughter.

She slowly pushes the door open and smiles at the sight before her; Grant and Jessica are sitting next to each other in the middle of the large bed, their heads bent together as they both look down at the tablet in front of them.

"What's going on in here?" she speaks up, getting their attention.

Jessica head shoots up and she smiles wide, "¡Mamá!"

"Hi baby girl," Skye moves into the room and hops up onto the bed, situating herself next to Jessica. She drops a kiss to the top of her head, "Mommy missed you so much, angel."

"Yo también, mamá," Jessica gives Skye a hug.

Skye hugs her back and then looks up at Grant. She smiles at him, "Hello, handsome."

"Hi, beautiful," he smiles back, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss. "How was the drive over?"

"Pretty good," she says, reaching out to smooth some of Jessica's hair out of her face. "Thank goodness nothing too exciting was happening back at base, so I'm able to take a few days off. And Bobbi, Hunter and Mack said that they'll cover for me if need be."

"Thank goodness for the three of them," Grant says.

Skye smiles, "Yeah." She takes a deep breath, "So, what have you two been up to?"

"Jugando," Jessica answers, her eyes never leaving the screen of the tablet.

"And what are you playing?" Skye asks.

"Kendra told me about this website that helps kids Jessica's age learn different things while also having fun. Apparently Ian loves it and does it all the time. So I figured we'd give it a try."

Skye nods, "Educational while still having fun. I fully approve." She looks down at her daughter, "Are you having fun, Jess?"

"Sí," Jessica nods, tapping on the tablet screen.

"Well I'm glad," Skye smiles, dropping another kiss to her daughters head as she scoots closer on the bed to look down at the tablet.

...

"So," Grant speaks up as he makes his way into the living room, "Jess is finally down for her nap, I think it's time for us to talk about the preschool situation now." He sits down next to Skye on the couch, draping his arm across the back of the couch.

Skye sighs and turns towards him, closing her laptop and setting it on the coffee table. "Yeah, I guess we probably should." She looks up at him and bites her lip between her teeth, "Is it wrong for me to not want her to go to preschool because it means that she's actually growing up?"

Grant chuckles and rubs her shoulder reassuringly, "No, it isn't wrong. But it'll be good for her to go and interact with some other kids her age on a regular basis besides just Ian."

Skye sighs again, "I know, I know." She takes a deep breath, "So, are there any preschools nearby?"

"Actually, there's one at the local elementary school. Kendra was telling me about it; that's where she sent Trevor and he loved it. She's also planning on sending Ian there next September."

Skye nods, "Okay. But I think at some point we should probably go there and check it out for ourselves."

"I think they have some kind of Open House thing going on in the spring," he tells her. "If you can get away for a few days next spring we can check it out. If not, I can go check it out myself."

"Did Kendra tell you if they have rules or anything that we need to know about?" Skye asks. "Like things they expect the child to be able to do when they get there?"

"Just that they pretty much expect the basics; being able to say and spell their name, being able to say what they need or want, that kind of stuff. Though I'm sure being potty trained is very high on that list. So it's a good thing Jess is pretty much there and will most likely be completely out of pull ups by next year."

"Yes it is," Skye says with a nod. "And I'm proud of you for taking that on. I've heard it can be pretty challenging."

Grant shrugs, "Jess has actually been pretty eager about the whole thing."

"Well thank goodness for that."

He nods, "Yeah, thank goodness. Now, Jess will probably be out for a few hours, any ideas on what we should do to kill the time?"

Skye smiles and sits up on the couch, slowly moving towards him and ghosting her lips over his. She smirks against his lips, "I have a few ideas."

* * *

"¡Sorpresa, mamá!"

"Look at you," Skye smiles at her daughter when she sees the two year old emerge from the hallway and out into the living room, Grant right behind her. "You look so great, baby."

"I'm Mulan!"

"Yes you are," Skye smiles. "Great choice for a costume, baby girl."

"Gracias," Jessica smiles.

"She does love Mulan," Grant says with a smile. "It's kind of cute watching her try to copy all of Mulan's moves when she watches the movie."

"That is pretty cute," Skye smiles. "As is her costume."

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," Grant smiles. He turns towards the kitchen, "Buddy! Come here, boy!"

A few seconds later Buddy comes trotting into the living room, wearing a costume to make him look like Mulan's horse Khan, a little toy Mushu and CriKee strapped to his back.

Skye covers her mouth and laughs, "Oh my goodness. That is so beyond perfect."

"You think so?" he asks.

She nods, "Absolutely. It's very creative."

"I'm glad you think so," Grant smiles. "Because I have another surprise for you."

"Let me guess, costumes for you and me?"

He nods, "You know me so well. I'm going to be Mulan's father and you're going to be her mother."

"Very fitting," she smiles.

He smiles, "Yeah, I thought so too. Costumes are in the back of the closet. You go change while I'll keep an eye on Jess and then I'll go change when you're done."

"Mmkay," she nods, turning and making her way down the hallway to the bedroom.

* * *

_***November*** _

"This is a top priority mission, people; we need to take care of it as quickly and quietly as possible. So let's move out." Coulson nods once at his team and then turns to make his way out of the room.

The rest of the team leaves the briefing room and begins getting ready the mission, gathering the things that they need.

As Skye is gathering her weapons together her phone goes off in her pocket. She quickly pulls it out and unlocks it to find an incoming call from Grant.

She answers the call and then holds it between her ear and shoulder as she keeps preparing. "Hey babe, what's up?"

_"Not much, just calling because Jess wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving."_

_"Happy Tanksgiving, mamá."_

Skye smiles, "Thanks, baby girl. Happy Thanksgiving."

 _"Te amo,"_ Jessica says.

"I love you, too, angel," Skye replies.

 _"How are you?"_ Grant asks.

She glances around the room, "I'm good. But uh, I'm actually really busy right now so I can't talk long. Can I call you back later?"

 _"Something going on?"_ Grant asks.

"Just a really high priority mission. On Thanksgiving, of all days. But I can't control when we—"

"Agent Johnson! Hurry it up!"

Skye turns towards where Coulson is standing in the open bay door of the quinjet, "Yeah, I'm almost ready." She turns back towards her gear and pulls the phone down from her ear, "Hey, I really have to go now but I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

_"Okay. I love you. Dile adiós a mamá, Jessie."_

_"¡Adiós mamá! ¡Te amo!"_

"I love you too, baby girl. Mwah!" she sends a kiss into the speaker of the phone. "I love you, Grant."

 _"I love you too,"_ Grant says. _"Bye."_

"Bye."

She pulls the phone down and ends the call, silencing it and sliding it back into her pocket.

She checks her ICER once more before holstering it and turning towards the quinjet.

Making her way up into it, she moves over to the side to take a seat and strap herself in.

"Hey."

Skye looks up to see Bobbi sitting down next to her. "Hey," she smiles at her friend.

"You ready for the mission?" Bobbi asks her.

Skye lets out a sigh, "I guess so. I mean, you think the bad guys could have _not_ picked a holiday to do their bad guy stuff."

Bobbi chuckles, "Yeah, it's a real bummer. So, was that Grant on the phone?"

Skye nods, "Yeah. Jess wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving but I couldn't talk long for obvious reasons."

Bobbi nods, "Yes. So you're just going to call them after the mission?"

"Maybe tomorrow because I'll probably be too exhausted after today to call them."

"Good point."

_**"Everybody strap in. We're taking off."** _

Skye lets out a deep breath as she clips her seat buckle into place, "Here we go."

* * *

Hearing her phone go off next to her on the bed, Skye cracks her eyes open and reaches out for the device. She squints her eyes as she unlocks it and sees an incoming video call from Grant.

She takes a deep breath as she rolls onto her back before hitting the answer button.

She smiles when she sees Grant and Jessica in the screen.

 _"Hola mamá,"_ Jessica smiles into the camera.

"Hi, angel," Skye smiles back.

 _"Good morning, beautiful,"_ Grant smiles. _"Did we wake you?"_

"You did, as a matter of fact. But it's okay. Getting to see you both first thing in the morning is actually the best way to wake up."

 _"Well I'm glad,"_ Grant says. _"So how did your mission go yesterday?"_

Skye shrugs, "We went in, did what we had to do, then got out. Same old, same old."

 _"Right,"_ Grant nods. _"Did you at least have a somewhat decent Thanksgiving celebration afterwards?"_

"I had a turkey sandwich when we got back and then crashed. Does that count?"

Grant chuckles, _"I'll let it slide this once."_

"Why thank you," she smiles. "And did you two have a decent Thanksgiving?"

 _"We had a pretty good one. We had a delicious turkey dinner and Jess even helped me mash the potatoes,"_ he smiles at his daughter.

"You did?" Skye turns her attention on her daughter. "Did you have fun helping daddy with dinner?"

 _"¡Sí!"_ Jessica smiles. _"I smasheded da tatoes!"_

"I heard," Skye smiles and nods. "And I'm sure you did a really great job. How has the rest of your holiday been?" she directs at her husband.

_"Well, Kara came by for a few hours this morning while I went to do some Black Friday shopping for the first time ever."_

"Are you okay? I heard that Black Friday can get really brutal."

 _"I've been in worse situations,_ " he tells her. _"But I managed to get some pretty cool stuff while I was there, if I do say so myself."_

 _"¡Papá compró juguetes!_ " Jessica exclaims, leaning back into view of the screen. _"Toys!"_

Skye sighs, "Grant, did you seriously get her more toys? She has more than enough already and Christmas is next month. I swear you spoil that child way more than is actually necessary."

_"If loving our daughter and not wanting to see her upset is considered spoiling, then lock me up because I am guilty as charged."_

Skye rolls her eyes, "Stop being so dramatic, Grant."

 _"Fine, I'll stop."_ He takes a deep breath, _"So, any plans for the rest of the day?"_

Skye sighs, "I don't know. I'll probably hit the gym later today to work off some steam. Of course, that'll be after I finish up some reports for Coulson. And after the weekend comes Cyber Monday and there are some beautiful pieces of tech that I've been dying to get my hands on."

 _"Well that all sounds very thrilling,"_ Grant smiles. _"We're going to let you go now so you can get a head start on all of those exciting plans. I love you."_

"I love you too," Skye smiles.

_"¡Te amo mamá!"_

"I love you too, angel." She blows a kiss at the screen that Jessica happily catches with a squeal. "I'll talk to you soon, babe, bye."

_"Bye."_

Bringing the phone down, she ends the video call and then sets it down beside her. She stretches her arms up above her, letting out a yawn.

Throwing the covers off of her body, she climbs out of the bed and begins getting herself ready for the day ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Cominc Con is this weekend and AoS had their panel yesterday. They showed Brett and Chloe's audition tape at the panel and then Marvel released it on their YouTube channel pretty much right after. I've watched it so many times, and it is so glorious. But it just reminds me how bitter I am because of what they ruined. Thank goodness for the world of fanfiction. :)
> 
> Also, working on a special project for Brett. If you're interested, let me know. I'd love to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! I apologize for not updating yesterday. I swear I was going to, but I'm working during the day now Monday through Thursday. And then we went to visit my mom at the hospital and then my sister and I were watching Teen Wolf all night (she got me hooked) so I just never updated.
> 
> But I'm here updating before I head out for work. Because I love you guys (and this story) that much.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter. :)

* * *

_***December*** _

"Are you excited to go see Santa today, Jess?" Skye asks her daughter as she straightens out the little girls' dress.

"Papá Noel!" Jessica exclaims with a smile. "Buddy comin too?" she asks her mom.

Skye shakes her head, "No, Buddy's staying here while we go and get our pictures with Santa."

Jessica frowns, "Oh."

"But," Skye speaks up quickly, seeing the sad look on the young girls face, "that doesn't mean we can't take a bunch of fun pictures with Buddy when we get home."

Jessica grins, "Yay!"

"Alright," Grant speaks up as he enters the living room, "are the two most beautiful girls in the world ready to go get some pictures with Santa?"

"Me me!" Jessica shouts, bouncing on her feet. "¡Quiero ver a Santa Claus!"

"Well then we should probably get going, huh?" Grant smiles.

Jessica nods, "¡Sí!"

Grant chuckles, "Alright. Let me get a look at my two gorgeous girls." He takes a small step back and smiles at the sight before him. Skye is wearing a knee length, dark red, v-neck dress, a pair of black heels, and her hair is curled slightly with part of it pulled back into a half ponytail.

Jessica is standing in front of Skye, leaning back against her legs. She's wearing a simple red dress, a pair of white tights and black shoes; her hair is pulled back into a small braid, a red ribbon tied at the bottom of it.

"You both look so beautiful," he smiles at them.

"Gracias," Jessica smiles.

"Yeah, thanks," Skye smiles. "And you look very handsome too."

Grant looks down at his own outfit; a pair of black slacks, black dress shoes, and a dark red button up dress shirt.

"We all look pretty great," Grant smiles.

"Yes we do," Skye smiles. "Even though we're all wearing red."

"I did suggest that we wear black this year," Grant says.

Skye gives him a look, "Black is what people wear at funerals, Grant, not for pictures with Santa Claus."

"Well maybe part of this pictures with Santa tradition is that we alternate the color we wear each year. One year we wear red and the next we wear green. And so on and so on."

Skye purses her lips in thought for a moment. "You know what, that's actually not that bad of an idea. I don't know why I didn't think of it."

"Because you were thinking way too much into it," he tells her, bending down to pick Jessica up off of the floor. "Now come on, let's go and get our pictures with Santa."

Skye smiles and nods, "Yes, let's go see Santa." She turns towards the front door and makes her way outside, Grant following right behind her with Jessica sitting on his hip.

* * *

"Christmas Eve," Skye says as she falls down onto the couch next to Grant. She instantly leans into his side, his arm going around her shoulders to hold her close.

"That it is," he nods and smiles. "You know, I'm kind of surprised that Jess didn't beg us to let her stay up to wait for Santa. Kendra told me that Trevor did that when he was Jess' age."

"Every kid is different," Skye reminds her husband. "And even if she did stay up, she wouldn't have lasted very long. She would have been out within just a couple of hours."

"Very true," Grant chuckles. "Plus, with her going to bed this early, it gives us a few extra hours to ourselves," he leans over and brushes his lips against her neck.

Skye smiles as her husband peppers light kisses up along the side of her neck. "Aren't there some things we have to do before Jess wakes up tomorrow morning wanting to open her presents?"

He hums against her skin, his hands sliding around to her lower back, "I can only think of one thing I want to do right now."

"We'll get to that in a few minutes," Skye tells him, gently pushing on his shoulders, "I promise. But first we have to make sure that everything is ready for in the morning."

He sighs and sits back, "Fine. We'll do things your way."

"Thank you," she smiles. She leans forward to press a quick kiss to his lips before standing from the couch and making her way down the hallway and into the bedroom.

* * *

"¡Mamá¡! ¡Papá! ¡Despertarse! Wake up! Is Christmas!"

The sound of pounding on the bedroom door stirs Grant and Skye from their slumber.

Skye groans, shutting her eyes tighter. "Your daughter is awake," she grumbles into her pillow.

"Why is she just mine all of a sudden?"

Skye flips over to face her husband, "Because I'm pretty sure she inherited your unnatural tendency to wake up in the very early hours of the morning."

"What time is it?" Grant asks.

Skye glances behind her to look at the alarm clock, "6:13." She looks back at her husband, "Is it wrong that I want to get the crib back out next Christmas and put her in it so she doesn't wake us up earlier than we want to be woken up?"

"While that sounds like a really great idea, I'm sure that by next year she'd be able to climb out of the crib so it'd be pointless."

Skye sighs, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"¡Mamá! ¡Papá!"

"One of us should probably let her in before she wakes up the entire neighborhood," Skye tells him.

"I'll get her," he smiles, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss.

He pulls the covers off his body, climbs off of the bed and walks over to the door. Pulling it open, he smiles when he sees Jessica standing on the other side, a wide smile on her face as she looks up at him.

"Hola papá," she grins up at him.

"Hey angel," he smiles back at her. "Merry Christmas." He bends down and lifts her off of the carpet, giving her a hug and holding her against his chest.

"Feliz Navidad," Jessica smiles.

"Feliz Navidad," Grant smiles back, nodding his head. "Did you sleep well?" he asks her, adjusting her slightly in his arms.

Jessica nods, "Yeah." She wraps her arms around Grant's neck in a hug.

"Don't leave me out of this holiday hug fest," Skye says from the bed as she pulls herself up into a seating position.

"¡Mamá!" Jessica shouts, leaning out of Grant's arms and reaching for Skye.

Skye smiles, "Hey, baby girl."

Grant steps over to the bed and sets Jessica down on top of the covers, letting her crawl over to Skye. He moves back over to his side of the bed and sits down, scooting closer to his wife and daughter.

"Is Christmas!" Jessica exclaims, smiling at both of her parents from her place in Skye's lap.

"Yes it is," Skye smiles. "Are you excited?"

"Yeah!" Jessica smiles.

"Well then I guess we should probably go out to the living room so we can open some presents," Grant says.

"Yeah, dad! ¡Vamonos!" Jessica climbs out of Skye's lap and moves across the bed towards the edge.

Grant chuckles and reaches out for the toddler, pulling her into his lap, "Slow down for a minute, Jess. Let me and mommy wake up completely, first."

"Quiero abrir los regalos," she states.

"And we will," Grant assures his daughter. "But we have to get mommy her coffee first or she's going to be pretty grumpy later."

"No grumpy mommy," Jessica shakes her head.

"Then we have to go start the coffee maker so we can give her some coffee," Grant tells the little girl.

"Quiero ayudar," Jessica says.

Grant smiles, "I'll load the coffee and you can press the start button. How does that sound?"

Jessica thinks for a moment and then smiles, "Yeah."

Grant chuckles, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Alright, angel. You go on and wait for me in the kitchen. Estaré ahí."

"Kay, dad," Jessica replies. She climbs out of his lap and crawls across the mattress, lying down on her stomach to slide off the edge of the bed feet first. Once her feet hit the carpet, she hurries out of the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen.

"I should probably get out there before she and Buddy destroy something," he says aloud.

Skye nods and smiles, "Yes, you probably should. I'll be out in just a minute. I need to wake up more."

He smiles, "Of course you do. We'll see you out there." He leans down to press a quick kiss to her lips before climbing out of the bed and making his way out to the kitchen.

...

"Hey Jessie," Skye speaks up to her daughter, "guess what?"

Jessica looks up from where she sits on the living room floor playing with her toys, "What?"

"Auntie Kara is almost here," Skye smiles.

Jessica smiles, "Yay!"

"And Ben is almost here too."

Jessica smiles wider, "Yay! Auntie Kara! Uncle Ben!" She claps her hands together excitedly.

Skye smiles, "So he's _Uncle_ Ben now, huh?"

"Yeah," Jessica smiles. "Me encanta Uncle Ben."

"And I'm sure he loves you too, baby. Because you are a very, very loveable little girl," she leans forward and presses a kiss to Jessica's forehead.

A few minutes later a knock at the door pulls both Skye and Jessica's attention to it. Jessica gasps and goes wide-eyed.

Skye smiles at her daughter, "Come on, baby. Let's go see who's at the door." She reaches out and lifts Jessica onto her hip as she makes her way over to the front door.

"Auntie Kara!" Jessica exclaims when Skye pulls open the door and she sees Kara standing on the front porch.

Kara smiles at her, stepping inside the house and taking Jessica from Skye's arm, "Hey, ladybug." She presses a kiss to the little girl's cheek. "Merry Christmas, Jess."

"Feliz Navidad," Jessica smiles back. She peers past Kara to see Ben and smiles at him, "Hi Uncle Ben."

Ben smiles back at her, "Hey, sweetie. Merry Christmas."

"Did you have a good Christmas so far?" Kara asks Jessica.

"Yeah," Jessica nods. She leans back in Kara's arms and uses her arms to gently tug on Kara's neck, "Ven a jugar, Auntie Kara, come play."

"Slow your roll, baby girl," Skye tells her daughter. "Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben just got here. Give them a minute to breath, okay?"

Jessica huffs, "Fine." She slides down out of Kara's arms, running over to Buddy once her feet hit the carpet.

"How has your Christmas been so far?" Skye asks her friends as they make their way further into the living room.

"Pretty good, actually," Kara says. "What about you and Grant?"

"Well, Jess woke us up at six this morning, so it's been kind of a long day for us," she smiles.

"I've heard that kids have a tendency to do that," Kara smiles.

Skye smiles and nods, "Yes, and I'm almost positive that she gets it from Grant."

"What does she get from me?"

Skye turns her head to see Grant making his way into the room, a small smile on his face.

She smiles back at him, "I was just telling Kara and Ben how Jess woke us up early this morning and that she definitely gets it from you."

Grant chuckles, "Yes, so I've heard already today." He steps up beside Skye and wraps an arm around her waist, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple.

"Well it's very true," Skye tells him.

"¡Papá!"

Grant turns his head and smiles when he sees his daughter running up to him, colliding with him and hugging him around the legs. He leans down and lifts her up into his arms, "Hey angel. How are you?"

"Good," Jessica smiles. She looks over at Kara and Ben, "Can we play now?"

Kara smiles at her, "Sure, bug, we can play now."

Jessica grins, "Yay!" She slides down out of Grant's arms, walks up to Kara and grabs one of her hands, tugging her towards her toys.

Kara smiles and lets out a small laugh. She looks behind her at her boyfriend, "You coming?"

Ben smiles and nods, "Yeah." He steps forward and follows the two of them.

Skye leans back against Grant's chest and smiles as they watch their daughter show off some of her new toys to Kara and Ben.

Grant wraps his arms around her middle and rests his chin on top of her head, "What are you thinking?"

"I want another one."

"Another what?" he asks.

"You know what I mean, Grant." She tilts her head to look up at him, "I want another baby."

"Are you sure?"

She nods, "Mm-hmm. I mean, not right now, because I'm still dealing with my team and all of that, but I do want another one eventually. And I don't want to wait too long either; I want Jess to be able to have a sibling. I never had that luxury growing up, so I think it'd be nice for her to have that."

"Well, speaking from experience, siblings aren't all they're cracked up to be," he tells her.

"True, but not every case is like that. You and I are very loving parents who would never let our kids be so cruel to each other."

He gives her a small smile, "I know." He takes a deep breath, "How about this? We don't try for another baby right now, we just see what happens. And then when you're all done, hopefully soon, with your team, if you aren't pregnant we can start trying."

Skye smiles, "That sounds perfect."

"I'm glad you think so. Now, I think Ben and Kara can keep Jess entertained for a little while. Why don't you and I go and see if we can get a small nap while we have the chance."

Skye grins and nods, "Yes please." She pulls out of his arms and grabs his hand in hers, pulling him down the hallway towards their bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *I want to see Santa Claus  
> *Wake up  
> *Merry Christmas  
> *Let's go  
> *I want to open presents  
> *I want to help  
> *I'll be right there  
> *I love Uncle Ben  
> *Come play
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes. Back again with a new chapter for ya. Apologies for not updating yesterday. I was at my family reunion all day and was super exhausted when I got home. But I'm updating now. Thanks for all the love so far. Can't believe this story is almost over. Yikes.
> 
> Enjoy!

_***December/January*** _

"You know, tonight is our first wedding anniversary," Skye steps up behind Grant where he's standing at the stove making breakfast and wraps her arms around his bare torso.

He smiles, "I know it is."

Skye presses a kiss to his shoulder blade. "Can you believe that at midnight we'll have been married for an entire year?"

Grant turns around in her arms, wrapping his own arms around her waist, "And it's been a really great year."

She grins, "Yes it has. Being married to you is a wonderful feeling."

"That is very true," he smiles. "It's also a wonderful feeling getting to raise a daughter with you."

Skye smiles and nods, "Yes it is."

"We should do something special to celebrate," he tells her.

"It's New Years, Grant. I don't think it can get any more special than that."

"Is that going to be your excuse every year when I suggest we do something to celebrate?"

Skye shrugs, "Guess you're just going to have stick around and find out." She leans up on her toes to press a kiss to his lips.

He smiles against her lips, "I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"Good."

"Mamá. Papá."

Skye pulls away from her husband and looks down to see Jessica staring up at her, Bug's antennae clutched tightly in her hand and Buddy standing right beside her.

She smiles down at her daughter, "Hey, baby girl." She leans down and lifts Jessica into her arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek, "Did you sleep well?"

Jessica nods, "Sí." She holds her stuffed ladybug up in front of her, "Bug queire un beso también."

"Well we can't forget about Bug," Skye smiles, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of the doll's head. She looks at her daughter, "Better?"

Jessica nods.

Skye smiles, "Good, I'm glad. Now, I think you and I should go into the living room and play while daddy finishes breakfast. What do you say?"

Jessica nods again, "Sí."

Skye gives her daughter a small smile before turning and making her way into the living room, leaving Grant in the kitchen to finish making breakfast for the three of them.

* * *

"Thank you again so much for agreeing to watch her for us tonight, Kara," Skye says to her friend as they stand in the living room.

Kara waves off the thanks, "It's no problem, really. Even though it's New Years, it's also your first wedding anniversary; you guys should go out and celebrate."

"Yeah, Grant managed to convince me," Skye smiles.

"What are you plans?" Kara asks.

"We're going to go to a nice restaurant for dinner, and then we're going to watch the countdown that they apparently have in the center of town every year."

"Sounds very romantic," Kara smiles.

"That is exactly what I was going for," Grant smiles as he makes his way into the room. "Hi beautiful," he says to Skye, wrapping an arm around her waist and dropping a kiss to her cheek.

"Hi," she smiles up at him.

"¡Mamá! ¡Papá!"

Grant and Skye turn their heads towards where Jessica is sitting on the living room floor, playing with some of her toys with Ben.

"Hey, angel," Grant smiles at the almost three year old. "I want you to be extra good for Uncle Ben and Auntie Kara tonight. You listen to what they tell you and don't cause any trouble for them. ¿Está claro?"

Jessica nods, "Claro, papá."

"Good. Now come give me and mommy a hug."

Jessica jumps up from her spot and runs over to them, colliding with Grant's legs as she wraps her arms around him in a hug. Grant chuckles and bends down to lift the girl up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"We'll see you in the morning, okay?" he says to his daughter. Jessica nods her head. Grant smiles and then passes her off to Skye.

"I love you so much, angel," Skye says to the little girl.

"Yo también te amo," Jessica smiles.

Skye smiles back and then kisses her temple, hugging her close.

Grant steps forward and places a hand on his wife's lower back, "Skye, we're only going to be gone for a couple of hours. It's not like you're never going to see her again."

Skye sighs, "I know." She lets Jessica slide down out of her arms and then run over to Ben. She turns to look at Kara, "She's already had dinner and brushed her teeth, so no snacks. If she wants to try and stay up late to watch the countdown, that's perfectly fine. She probably won't last all night, but if she does, send her straight to bed afterwards. Buddy can just sleep wherever, but not in our bed, though he'll probably fall asleep wherever Jess is. We'll probably stay at a hotel after the celebration, but we should hopefully be back before Jess wakes up tomorrow. Feel free to just crash on the couch or floor tonight. There are some extra blankets and pillows in the hall closet. You have our numbers so call or text one of us if there's a problem or you have a question."

Kara nods, "Got it. Now go," she smiles. "Have fun and celebrate your anniversary. We're going to be perfectly fine here, I promise."

Skye bites her lip and then turns to look at Grant, "Are you sure you want to go out? Because I told you that I'm fine with just staying in."

"Skye, we need this. We hardly spend any time just the two of us when you come by. And you'll get to see Jess again before you leave, so relax."

"Fine, fine. You're right. Now let's go before I have second thoughts about all of this."

Grant lets out a low chuckle and presses a kiss to her temple as he wraps his arm around her waist. He smiles over his shoulder at Kara as he and Skye step out the front door, "Thanks again. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," Kara smiles and waves, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

"I can't believe how nice of a place this is," Skye comments from where she and Grant are sitting at a table for two along one of the walls of a fancy restaurant.

"You think so?" Grant asks.

Skye nods her head, "Definitely. How have I never noticed this place before?"

"Probably because we don't actually come into town a whole lot when you're here. We've been a few times, but not enough for you to really explore and take things in, you know?"

Skye nods, "Yeah, I know. But soon that is all going to change." She reaches across the table to place one of her hands on his, linking their fingers together, "I promised you last year that before this upcoming year is out, I am going to pick someone on my team to take my place running it and I'm going to get out. Even if I don't pick someone for whatever reason, I am going to get out before the year is up. I can't promise you exactly when that will be, but it'll definitely happen before December 31st."

Grant gives her a smile, "I know I've made a big deal out of it before, but I don't care when it happens, just as long as it does happen before too much longer. Because then you can come home for good and we can spend the rest of our lives raising our family without having to worry about any of the craziness that comes with being associated with SHIELD."

"I know. The team probably won't take it too well, but none of that matters. What matters is you, me, our family, and the life that we're building together."

"Have I told you recently how much I love you?"

Skye smiles and shrugs, "Wouldn't hurt to hear it again."

Grant smiles, "Well I do. I love you so much. More than I've ever loved anyone or anything in my life."

"Same goes for me too," Skye replies. "Just like I told you a year ago when we got married, you have always been, and always will be the only guy for me. As cheesy as that may sound."

"I like cheesy," he smiles. "Especially when it has to do with you and me."

"Me too." She lifts up out of her chair and leans across the table, meeting him halfway with a kiss.

"Oh you two are just so cute."

Grant and Skye pull apart to see an older woman standing beside their table, a smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry," the woman apologizes, "I didn't mean to interrupt your moment. I just wanted you to know that I think you're a beautiful couple."

"Oh, thank you," Skye smiles kindly at her. "I'm Skye. And this is my husband Grant."

"I'm Diane," the woman replies. "How long have you two been together?"

"That's a bit difficult to answer," Skye tells the woman with a small laugh. "But at midnight tonight it will be our first wedding anniversary," she grins at Grant and then looks back at Diane.

"A New Years wedding," the woman smiles. "How romantic. And now you're out celebrating. Well I wish you both the best in the years to come."

"Thank you," Grant smiles at her.

"You're welcome," she smiles back. "I should be going now but have a good rest of your night."

"You too," Skye says to Diane as she walks away. She looks back at her husband, "She was sweet."

Grant nods, "She was. She actually reminded me of my grandmother a little bit."

"I would have liked to have met your Gramsy," Skye says.

Grant gives her a small smile, "I wish you could have. I'm sure the two of you would have gotten along really well. Now come on," he stands up from the table and holds his hand out to Skye, "let's go pay for our dinner so we can head over to the Square for the party."

"Yes, let's," Skye smiles at him, standing from her chair and grabbing Grant's hand in hers.

Grant leans down to give her a quick kiss before leading her towards the front of the restaurant, his hand already reaching in his pocket for his wallet.

...

"Is it just me, or is it still a little hard to believe sometimes that we're married and have a kid?" Skye asks Grant as they stand together in the middle of town square, each of them holding a glass of champagne while they listen to the music performance happening on the makeshift stage at the far end of the Square.

Grant looks down at her, "I will admit that there were a few times when I thought that I'd wake up and you wouldn't be next to me or Jess wouldn't be in the other room sleeping with Bug tucked up against her and Buddy curled up by her bedside. But it didn't take long for me to realize that those were just echoes of my past, in a way, coming back to the forefront of my mind. I realized pretty quickly that I didn't have anything to worry about; that you're with me because you love me, and not just because we have a daughter together."

She smiles up at him and places a hand on his cheek, "I do love you. Very much."

He smiles back, "I love you too." He leans down and presses his lips to hers.

"Alright everybody!" the mayor of the town speaks up into the microphone on the stage.

Grant and Skye break apart and turn towards the man. Grant moves so he's standing behind Skye, wrapping his arms around her middle. Skye leans back against his chest, placing her hands on top of his and threading their fingers together. She smiles when she feels him drop a kiss to the top of her head.

"I hope you've all been having a great time tonight. And yes, I know that our performers aren't as huge as the ones performing in New York or California, but I like to think they're still pretty great," the mayor smiles out at the crowd.

"Now then, it's almost time to ring in the New Year. And before we do, I just want to say, let's all try and make 2020 the best year that we can, alright?" The crowd cheers. He smiles, "Good. Now, let's turn to the clock."

Everyone turns their attention towards the countdown clock set up at the end of the square, counting down along with it.

"10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Fireworks explode in the night sky all around them as everyone in the square cheers and kisses their significant other.

Skye tilts her head back to smile up at Grant, "Happy New Year."

He smiles and shakes his head, "Happy Anniversary."

She smiles back and lifts herself up onto her toes to press a kiss to his lips. She pulls back and smiles, "Happy Anniversary."

* * *

_***February*** _

Letting out a deep sigh, Skye falls down onto the couch, running a hand down her face in exhaustion.

Hearing her phone go off in her pocket, she pulls it out and unlocks it to find a new message from Grant with a photo attached **She said that she wanted to be just like you.** The image shows Jessica standing in the middle of the master bedroom, Skye's favorite flannel shirt hanging off of her small body, a wide smile on her face.

Skye smiles at the picture and then types back a reply _This is one of the cutest things I have ever seen. And I had a feeling I was missing a shirt._

**I think it's pretty cute too. I think she picked this shirt because she somehow knows that it's your favorite.**

_Haha, aww, that's awesome._

**Yeah. I told her to change her shirt earlier after she got it dirty, so I guess she decided she wanted to wear one of your shirts instead of one of her own.**

_Maybe that just means she'll have my amazing style when she gets older._

**Maybe. But she could also have her own style, too. That is always a possibility.**

_Yeah, I know. But is it so wrong to want to have a little mini-me?_

**No, it's not wrong. I'm just saying that we should let her figure out who she is all on her own. Not try to force anything on her.**

_That's not what I'm saying. At all._

**I know. I'm sorry.**

_It's fine._

_I love you._

**I love you too. Jessie says hi and that she loves you.**

_I miss my sweet girl. Give her a giant kiss for me, please._

**Will do.**

**I'm going to go now, Jess has a play date with Ian in a little bit.**

_Okay. Have fun. Say hi to Kendra and the boys for me._

**We will.**

Closing out of the program and locking her phone, Skye sets it off to the side, leaning back in the couch and letting her eyes close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *Bug also wants a kiss  
> *Is that clear?  
> *Clear, dad
> 
> Also, for those interested, I'm still working on a special project for Brett and I'd really love to have as many people involved as I can. Let me know if you're intrigued. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. Thanks again for all the love on this story so far. Really means a lot to me. :)
> 
> And now, enjoy. :)

_***March*** _

Slamming her hand down on the alarm clock to silence it, Skye groans as she rolls over onto her back, turning her head to look at her husband lying asleep next to her.

She reaches out and nudges his shoulder, "Babe."

"Hmm."

"Time to wake up. We have a lot of stuff to do today to get ready for Jess' party this afternoon."

Grant opens his eyes and smiles at her, "Good morning."

She smiles back, "Good morning." She moves her head forward to give him a quick kiss, "Now get up. You need to get started on breakfast while I wake up the birthday girl."

"Yeah, okay." Grant takes a deep breath in and then sits up in the bed, stretching his arms above his head. Then he stands from the bed and makes his way out of the bedroom and down the hallway into the kitchen.

Skye takes a deep breath as she stretches and then sits up in the bed, throwing the covers off of her body. She swings her legs around and stands from the bed, grabbing one of Grant's t-shirts to slip on over top of her sports bra, and then makes her way out of the room and across the hall to Jessica's room.

Pushing open the bedroom door, she stops in the doorway and smiles at the sight of her baby girl lying asleep in her bed. Her blanket is pulled all the way up to her neck and Bug is squished up against her side.

Skye steps inside the room and walks over to the small bed, kneeling down next to it. She reaches out and brushes some of Jessica's dark hair back out of her face and presses a kiss to the little girls' cheek.

"Jessie," she whispers. "Wake up, baby girl."

Jessica stirs in her sleep and then slowly opens her eyes, looking at her mother. "¿Mamá?"

Skye smiles, "Happy birthday, angel."

Jessica smiles sleepily and then lets out a yawn.

"Are you ready to get up?" Skye asks her daughter. "Daddy's making us breakfast."

"¿Panqueques?" Jessica asks.

Skye lets out a small laugh and nods, "I'm sure that's exactly what he's making. So should we get you out of bed and get the day started? Your birthday party is later today, everyone's coming over. Even Aunt Bobbi, Uncle Lance, and Uncle Mack."

"¿De verdad?" Jessica asks.

Skye nods, "Mm-hmm. They called me yesterday to tell me that they're definitely coming to your party today."

Jessica smiles, "Los amo."

Skye smiles, "I know you do, baby girl. And they love you too. Now come on, let's go see how daddy's doing with breakfast." She reaches out and lifts her daughter out of the bed as she stands up, settling the girl on her hip and then reaching down to pick up her stuffed ladybug doll. She presses a kiss to Jessica's cheek before turning around and making her way out of the room and down to the kitchen.

"Hola papá," Jessica says when she sees Grant standing in front of the stove.

Grant turns around and smiles when he sees his wife and daughter walking towards him. "There's the birthday girl," he steps forward and plants a kiss to Jessica's cheek. "Happy birthday, angel."

"Gracias," Jessica smiles. "¿Estás haciendo panqueques?" she asks her dad, leaning her head on Skye's shoulder, reaching behind her mom to gently grab a piece of hair in her hand.

Grant smiles and nods, "I am. And because you are the special birthday girl you can have all the pancakes you want to eat for breakfast this morning."

"But actually not," Skye says, looking up at her husband. "Do you really want her to get sick on her birthday? Because I can guarantee that is what will happen if you let her eat as many pancakes as she wants." She sets her daughter down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, "At some point you will have to cut her off."

"Why does it have to be me?" he asks.

Skye smiles and walks up to him, "Because you just told her that she can have all the pancakes she wants." She leans up to press a quick kiss to his lips, "I'm going to get dressed so I can go out and run a few last minute errands before the party." She turns around and makes her way out of the kitchen back towards the bedroom.

Grant sighs and turns back to the stove, just in time to flip the pancakes already on the griddle.

"Daddy. Tengo hambre."

"Yo sé, ángel. The pancakes are almost done and then you can eat."

"Bug quiere comer también," Jessica tells him, holding her ladybug doll in the air.

"Oh she does, does she?" Grant smiles over his shoulder.

Jessica nods, "Sí."

"Well then I guess I'll have to make an extra pancake for Bug."

"Gracias, papá."

"De nada, Jessie," Grant smiles.

"Alright," Skye walks back into the room a few minutes later, sliding her phone into her back pocket, "I shouldn't be gone too long, just have to pick up a few last minute things." She walks up to Grant, "As soon as she's done eating, get her dressed, please. Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack might be stopping by early too, so it's possible they might get here before I get back." She leans up to give him a quick kiss and then walks over to Jessica, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Adiós mama," Jessica smiles up at her.

Skye smiles back, "Bye, baby girl. See you in a little bit."

She turns around and makes her way over to the front door, stepping outside and pulling it closed behind her.

* * *

"Grant, can you get the door, please?" Skye calls out into the backyard from the kitchen.

"I'll get it," Bobbi steps up into the house. "Your husband is working the grill right now."

"Great, thanks," Skye smiles.

"No problem," Bobbi smiles back, making her way towards the front door. Pulling it open, she smiles when she sees Ben and Kara standing on the front porch, "Hey guys. Come on in." She opens the door wider, allowing the two to step inside. "How are you?" Bobbi asks them.

"Good," Kara answers. "You?"

"Pretty okay," Bobbi nods.

"Auntie Kara!"

Kara turns her head to see Jessica running through the house towards her, a wide smile on the little girls face. Kara smiles back and stoops down to take Jessica into her arms. She plants a kiss to her cheek, "Happy birthday, ladybug."

"Gracias," Jessica smiles, wrapping her arms around Kara's neck in a hug. She smiles at the man standing behind Kara, "Hi, Uncle Ben."

Ben smiles at her, "Hey Jessie. Happy birthday."

"Hey you two," Skye smiles as she makes her way into the living room from the kitchen.

"Hey Skye," Kara smiles at the other woman. "How was your drive over?"

Skye shrugs, "Like it always is. I'm just happy to be home for a little while. Things were starting to get pretty crazy."

Kara laughs quietly, "I can imagine."

Skye takes a deep breath, "Enough of that though. Today is all about my beautiful little angel," she steps forward and takes her daughter from Kara, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Jessica giggles and pushes at her mom's face, "Mamá, stop."

"Alright, alright," Skye relents, opting to give her a daughter a hug before settling her on her hip. She looks down at her daughter, "Shall we take Uncle Ben and Auntie Kara outside so they can see what we did in the backyard for your party?"

Jessica smiles and nods, "Yeah. I wanna do it." She slides down out of Skye's arms and goes over to Kara and Ben, grabbing one of each of their hands and begins dragging them towards the back door.

Skye just laughs as she watches Ben and Kara trip over their own feet as they get pulled towards the back of the house. She turns her head to look at Bobbi, "I think they'll be entertained for a little while. Want to help me in the kitchen with a few things?"

"Sure," Bobbi smiles. "Lead the way."

Skye smiles back and then turns towards the kitchen, Bobbi following behind her.

...

"Skye."

Turning her head, Skye sees Grant motioning to the inside of the house and giving her a look.

She raises an eyebrow in question and he nods his head in response with a small smile.

Skye nods once and then turns back to the small group of children running around the backyard. "Jessica," she calls out to her daughter, getting the young girls' attention. "Come here, baby girl." Jessica runs through the grass over to her mom and smiles up at her. Skye smiles back and then leans down to pick her daughter up and settle her on her hip. "Happy birthday, my beautiful baby girl," she smiles and presses a kiss to her cheek. "And because it's your birthday, daddy and I have a very special surprise for you." She turns towards the back of the house, "You can come on out now."

Jessica smiles wide when she sees Mulan stepping out of the back door of the house and down into the backyard. "Mulan!" she shouts.

Skye laughs quietly when Jessica wriggles against her body, trying to get free and down to the ground. "Okay, baby," she says, bending down to set her on the grass, "go see Mulan." She watches as Jessica darts over to Mulan and wraps her arms tightly around the woman's legs in a hug.

Mulan smiles and laughs, hugging Jessica back, "Hello, little one."

"You got Mulan for the party?"

Skye turns around to see Bobbi approaching her, a small smile on her face, with Mack right behind her.

Skye nods, "Yeah. Jess absolutely _loves_ watching Mulan and is always singing and dancing along to the songs whenever we watch the movie. We even have the soundtrack and she listens to it constantly. And she was Mulan for Halloween last year. She's completely crazy for Mulan."

Bobbi raises an eyebrow, "Out of all the Disney princesses her favorite is the one who kicks butt throughout the entire movie and ends up saving the guy as well as being the hero of the movie?" She lets out a small laugh, "She's definitely yours and Grant's daughter."

Skye laughs back, "Yeah, I guess it's a little funny."

"It's sweet, though," Bobbi smiles.

"How did you even find someone to hire?" Mack asks Skye.

"It was actually Grant who found the company that does these things," Skye explains. "I guess he asked around about it and someone referred him. So I think we got some kind of discount, which is always nice."

"I can't believe you actually got Mulan here," Hunter comments with a smile as he makes his way over to the two women and Mack, a cold soda in his hand. "She's the coolest Disney princess out there, in my honest opinion. I mean, the way she takes Shawn Yu's dagger at the end with just her fan and then sticks him to the roof with it and then lets Mushu go at him with that huge firework; that was just incredible."

Bobbi furrows her brows at him, "How on earth...?"

"The little squirt had me watch it with her the last time we were here. And obviously it got stuck in my head. Not that I mind all too much; it's good for little girls to have women in movies, even animated, that they can look up to. Everything you see these days on TV is definitely not okay for young minds to be exposed to."

Skye just blinks, "Wow. That was just...I don't even know."

"I have my moments," Hunter comments, taking a drink from his soda can.

Skye lets out a small laugh and shakes her head. "Well, anyways, are you three enjoying yourselves?"

"As much as an adult can at a three year old's birthday party," Bobbi smiles. "But it's a really great party."

"Really great," Hunter agrees.

"Thanks," Skye smiles. She looks across the yard to where her daughter is talking animatedly with Mulan, her smile growing even wider.

* * *

"Can you believe she's already three?" Skye asks Grant as they stand in the doorway to Jessica's bedroom, watching their daughter sleep peacefully in her bed, Bug tucked tightly up against her body and Buddy curled up at her feet.

Grant shakes his head, "Not even for a minute. Every time I look at her I'm still going to see that tiny little baby I held in my arms for the first time at the hospital."

"I know what you mean," Skye nods. "I carried her for nine months and then had to push her fat little self out into this crazy world."

"We've done a great job with her so far," Grant tells his wife.

Skye looks up at him, "You've done most of it because I come and go so much."

"Hey, it's okay. Even though we didn't tell her directly what you do, she knows your job is really important."

She sighs, "I know. I just wish I could be here more."

"And you will be. Once you take care of everything you need to. Plus, I'm sure when you have the next one you'll be around for every single moment," he smiles down at her.

Skye bites her lip, "Yeah, about that."

Grant's eyes go wide, "Wait, are you...?"

Skye shakes her head, "No, no I'm not pregnant. But all of this has me thinking about that and I really want another baby with you."

"And I want one with you too," he smiles. "But we already talked about all of this. We said we'd wait and see what happens."

"I know," Skye nods. "But I don't think I want to wait too much longer."

"So what are you saying?" he asks.

"I'm saying that I think we should actually start trying for another baby."

"You really mean it?"

Skye smiles and nods, "Yeah, I do."

Grant grins and pulls her in for a kiss, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He pulls back and rests his forehead against hers, "Why don't we go into our room right now and start trying to make that baby we both want so bad?"

Skye nods, "I think that sounds like a solid plan." She pulls away from him and grabs his hand in hers, pulling him down the hallway to their bedroom, her lips attaching to his once more as they step into the room and close the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Also, still working on a special project for Brett and I'd love more people to get involved. Let me know if you're interested, I'd be happy to give you more info. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya! We're getting into the home stretch here, this story is so close to being over. I really don't think I'm ready for that.
> 
> Something kinda happens in this chapter that I think a lot of you were hoping for. It may not be exactly what you were expecting, but it's definitely something. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

_***April*** _

"Nice job today," Bobbi says to Skye as the two women walk over to one of the benches in the gym to grab their towels.

"You too," Skye says back. She picks up her water bottle and twists the cap off, lifting it to her lips to take a large swig. "I especially like that one move you did near the end. You're going to have to show me how to do that."

"Just let me know when," Bobbi smiles.

Skye's phone goes off from its spot on the bench, pulling her attention to it. She reaches down for it, unlocking it to find an incoming video call within the shell program. She opens it up, Grant and Jessica's faces quickly filling up the screen.

 _"¡Mamá!"_ Jessica shouts through the screen, leaning closer to the phone.

"Hi, angel," Skye smiles. "Look who else is here," she turns her phone so Jessica can see Bobbi.

 _"Aunt Bobbi!"_ Jessica smiles.

"Hey kiddo," Bobbi smiles at the young girl. "What are you up to?"

 _"I wanna show mam_ _á_ _my 'Panish,"_ Jessica replies.

 _"Even though you've already heard her speaking in Spanish numerous times at the house,"_ Grant says. _"She pretty much begged me to call you so she could show you some new phrases we've been working on especially for you."_

"Well I'm all ears," Skye smiles. "Show me what you know, baby girl."

 _"Listo, papá,"_ Jessica glances back at her Grant.

 _"Alright,"_ Grant nods. _"Hello mom, I love you so much and I miss you."_

Jessica leans towards the screen and smiles, _"Hola mamá._ _Te amo mucho y te extraño."_

 _"Muy bien,"_ Grant smiles at his daughter. _"Now say, 'I have the best mom in the whole entire world."_

_"Tengo la mejor mamá en el mundo entero."_

" _My mom and dad gave me the best family in the entire world."_

" _Mi mamá y papá me dio la mejor familia en todo el mundo."_

" _My family is sometimes crazy, but I love them."_

 _"Mi familia es a veces loca, pero los amo."_ Jessica leans forward and smiles, _"¡Mamá! What you think?"_

"I think you did an excellent job," Skye smiles. "You are getting really good at your Spanish, Jessie. Pretty soon you'll be just as good as your daddy is."

 _"Gracias,"_ Jessica smiles. _"Then I gonna learn 'Talian."_

 _"I told her that once she gets good enough at Spanish I'll start teaching her Italian,"_ Grant tells his wife.

"I think that's a great idea," Skye smiles.

"Me too," Bobbi pipes up. "There can be a lot of benefits to her growing up multilingual. I kind of wish I hadn't waited until I was an adult to start learning so many languages."

"I wish I knew more than just English and CS," Skye says. "I mean, I can kind of understand a few things in Spanish because of those two, but languages aren't really my thing."

 _"Well then I guess Jessie takes after me in that sense,"_ Grant smiles.

"And I couldn't be more proud," Skye smiles at her daughter. "I love you so much, baby girl."

Jessica smiles, _"También te amo."_

 _"Well we're going to go now,"_ Grant says. _"Jess just really wanted to show you how well she's doing."_

"I'll see you guys next month," Skye smiles. "I love you both."

 _"Yo también te quiero, mamá,"_ Jessica smiles.

Skye blows a kiss at the screen before ending the call and locking her phone again.

* * *

_***May*** _

**You're still coming by so you can meet the preschool teachers tomorrow, right?**

_Yeah, I'm actually on my way out right now. And I'm really looking forward to this meeting._

**I think you're going to really like this place, Skye. They don't normally do showings at this time of the year, but I managed to convince them to make a small exception for you.**

_Did you use your super charm on them?_

**Something like that.**

"Skye."

Looking up from her phone, Skye sees Coulson approaching her in the hallway. "Hey Coulson, what's up?" she hikes her bag higher up on her shoulder, sliding her phone into her back pocket.

"Where are you off to?" he asks her.

"Just to visit my friend," she replies without hesitation.

"The same friend you've been visiting for a few days every few months, right?"

"That's the one," she smiles tightly. "He's been going through a really tough time lately."

"I see. And how long are you going to be gone this time around?"

"Just a couple of days," Skye tells him.

Coulson nods, "Alright. Well I guess I'll see you when you get back then."

"Yep," Skye nods and then turns to continue her way down the hallway towards the garage.

Once she reaches an SUV and climbs inside, she pulls her phone back out to send a message to Bobbi through the shell program _Coulson just caught me on my way out and asked me if I was going to visit my friend. I think he's starting to get suspicious again._

A few minutes later she gets a reply **Yeah. He came to me and Hunter earlier and asked us if there was anything suspicious when he had us tail you two years ago that we forgot to tell him about.**

_And what did you say?_

**Exactly what we told him before. That you were just visiting your friend.**

_Okay. Good._

**But I think he might try and follow you himself today when you go out.**

_What?!_

**I know, I know. So you might want to take some precautions so he doesn't see Grant or Jessica.**

_Right, yeah. And thanks for the heads up._

**No problem. Tell Jessie we say hey and give her some big kisses from us.**

_I will._

Tossing her phone into the passenger seat, Skye glances out the rearview mirror and spots Coulson lingering around the garage, trying to make himself look busy. Sighing and shaking her head, she turns over the engine and shifts the car into drive, pulling out of the garage and onto the street.

Once she's driven for a few minutes, she reaches over into the passenger seat and grabs her phone, quickly unlocking it and going into the shell program. She finds Grant's number and hits the call button, tapping the speaker button and setting the device in her lap.

 _"Hello?"_ his voice comes through the speakers.

"Hey, babe, so we may have a slight problem."

_"You're still coming by, right?"_

"Yeah, that's not the problem. I think Coulson might be following me right now because he's suspicious of where I'm going."

_"Didn't he have Hunter and Bobbi tail you?"_

"That was two years ago, Grant. Now I'm not sure if he actually _is_ following me, but if that's the case, then I can't come straight to the house and you and Jess can't greet me at the door. I don't want him finding out like this."

_"What do you want to do then?"_

She lets out a breath, "Well, I told him that I'm visiting a friend. So I can either stop by Kendra's place or Kara's place."

 _"Go by Kara's,"_ he tells her after a quick moment. _"I think Ben's there so I'll call Kara and ask her to have him answer the door. Even though it's been a few years, Coulson's seen Kara's face and it's possible he'll recognize her. You can stay there and if Coulson isn't actually tailing you, then you can come by the house."_

"And what if he is? I won't be able to get to our place without him seeing me."

_"Just sneak across through all the backyards."_

"Won't that be a little suspicious to the people who live in the three houses between ours and Kara's?"

_"Maybe. But do you have a better idea?"_

Skye sighs, "No, I really don't. And what do you suggest we do about the preschool visit? There's no way we could get out without him seeing us."

_"We'll worry about that later. It's not until tomorrow, so we still have a little bit of time to figure something out."_

"Yeah, okay. I love you."

_"I love you too. See you in a bit."_

"Yeah, see you." She reaches down and ends the call, focusing all of her attention back on the road in front of her.

...

Pulling into the driveway in front of Kara's house, Skye shifts the car into park and turns off the engine. She glances through the rear view mirror, trying to locate the car Coulson was tailing her in. She spots it about three houses down, parked along the curb on the opposite side of the street.

Letting out a sigh, she grabs her duffel bag out of the passenger seat and climbs out of the car, shutting the door behind her. Hiking the bag up onto her shoulder she makes her way up to the house.

When she reaches the front door, she lifts a fist and knocks on the door then waits for it to open.

She smiles when the door opens and she sees Ben standing on the other side, "Hey, Ben."

"Hey," he smiles back. "Care to tell me why you showed up here instead of at your place? Grant didn't really say much on the phone, and Kara didn't say anything either, just that you'd be coming over."

Skye bites her lip, "I'll explain inside. But first give me one of those hugs that I love so much."

Ben chuckles and steps forward to pull her into a hug. Skye smiles and hugs him back tightly.

When they pull away, Ben takes Skye's duffel from her and steps back to allow her inside the house, closing the door behind her.

Skye smiles gratefully and steps inside the house, immediately being bombarded by a small figure against her legs.

Looking down, Skye smiles when she sees Jessica smiling up at her, her tiny arms wound tightly around her legs.

"Hi angel," Skye bends down to lift the girl into her arms, planting kisses all over her face.

"Missed you, mamá," Jessica wraps her arms around Skye's neck in a hug.

Skye hugs her back, "I missed you too, baby girl."

"What about me? Was I missed too?"

Skye looks over to see Grant approaching her and she smiles, stepping towards him. "Well I think that all depends," she tells him.

"Oh really? On what?"

"On whether or not you missed me too," she smiles.

Grant smiles back, reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her close, dipping his head to capture her lips.

Skye smiles when they pull out of the kiss, "I don't think I'll ever get tired of being greeted like that."

"Good," Grant smiles. "Because it's never going to stop."

"Mamá," Jessica speaks up, placing one hand on Skye's cheek to get her attention.

"Yeah, baby girl?"

"Wanna play?"

"In a little bit, Jessie," Grant says to his daughter. "Mamá's still a little tired from her drive over here."

"Okay," Jessica nods and then slides down out of Skye's arms and onto the floor, going back over to where her toys are.

Grant grabs Skye's hand in his, linking their fingers together, and smiles at her, "It's so great having you home again."

"It feels great to be back," she tells him with a smile.

Grant gently tugs on her hand to guide her over to the couch, sitting down on it and pulling her down next to him. Skye smiles and leans into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Alright," Ben speaks up, all of his attention on Skye as he sits down on the couch opposite her, "do you want to explain now why you had to come to Kara's place first instead of your own house? Grant didn't really say much on the phone and Kara hasn't said anything to me either. I really don't like feeling like I'm somehow out of the loop."

Skye looks at Grant and then Kara, both of them giving her a small nod of their heads. She turns back to Ben and takes a deep breath, "I was being followed."

Ben's eyebrows shoot up, "You were being followed?"

Skye nods, "Yeah."

"Well call the cops. Who was it that followed you?"

"My boss."

Ben raises his eyebrows, "Your _boss_? Are you serious?"

"Very. Ben, have you ever heard of SHIELD?"

Ben thinks for a moment, "Um, the name sounds kind of familiar. I'm pretty sure I've heard it somewhere."

She gives a sharp nod, "Right, well, I work for SHIELD. And Grant and Kara both used to."

Ben looks around at the other three adults in the room. "You all work for SHIELD?"

"Used to," Kara cuts in. "Grant and I don't work for them anymore. We haven't for a few years now."

"Some pretty serious things happened in the past and so Grant and Kara both walked away from that life," Skye explains to Ben. "But almost everyone I work with still has a pretty big grudge against Grant because of what happened. And since we weren't together at the time, and I pretty much hated his guts, I stayed back with SHIELD."

She takes a deep breath, "But then after a while we were pretty much forced to work with Grant on a mission. I hadn't seen him in what felt like a really long time so when I did see him again, all of these feelings I had for him came springing back, no matter how hard I tried to push it all down. When we first started fooling around it was just supposed to be a way to relieve the stress that came with the job, nothing more." She grabs Grant's hand in hers and smiles at him, "But then I got pregnant with Jess and everything changed for the better."

She looks back at Ben, "I decided I didn't want her around anything involving SHIELD. No one at SHIELD knows that Grant and I are together or that we have a daughter. If they did, well, it wouldn't be the best day. Although, when I say no one, I mean no one except for Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack."

"They're SHIELD too?" Ben asks.

Skye nods, "Yeah. They weren't supposed to find out about any of this, but Coulson, our boss, had Bobbi and Hunter tail me because I was always leaving the base and he got concerned. The day he had them tail me just so happened to be Jessica's first birthday party. It wouldn't have done any good to do deny it after that. But we swore them both to secrecy and they've never told anyone.

"And Mack found out because Hunter might actually be the worst at checking his surroundings before talking. Mack was in the room when Hunter mentioned Jess so of course he had questions. And he's my partner at SHIELD, we work together a lot, so I've already felt bad lying to him. He promised to keep Grant and Jess a secret for me too.

"But apparently Coulson is still concerned about me so he decided to tail me himself today. And thank goodness for Bobbi and Hunter, because if they hadn't told me what was going on, I wouldn't have been able to make sure he didn't find our house. It's not that he's a bad guy, really, he just isn't Grant's biggest fan and wouldn't be too happy about this whole situation."

Ben takes a moment to digest everything he's been told. He looks over at Kara, "Were you ever going to tell me about your involvement with SHIELD?"

"Honestly? I don't know. SHIELD is a part of my past; I don't have a connection to them anymore. And I don't want to ever be involved with them again." She reaches out and grabs one of his hands in both of hers, "All I want is to focus on my present and my future, with you," she gives him a small smile.

He gives her a small smile and then looks at Grant and Skye, "I get why you did what you did. I won't ask you anymore about what happened, because it must have been pretty bad for you to want to keep your family a secret from the people you work with."

Skye nods, "It was. And thank you for understanding. I know this is probably all a little strange for you to hear, so thank you."

Ben nods, "It is a little strange, but I think I'll be okay. Your past doesn't define you, and you three are some of my closest friends." He looks over at Kara, "And I love you, so I think I can get past all of this."

"I love you too," Kara smiles.

Skye grins, "I still can't get over how cute you two are together."

"Well you and Grant are pretty cute too," Kara tells Skye. "I don't know if I ever told you how happy I am that you and he are finally together."

"I'm happy too," Skye smiles over at her husband. "Happier than I've ever been."

* * *

Skye holds tightly to Grant's hand as the two make their way inside the school.

"Is it weird for me to be a little nervous right now?" she asks her husband.

He shakes his head as they turn down the hallway just inside the school, "No, it's not weird. But you don't need to be nervous, Skye. This place is great and the teachers are both really nice. I think you're going to like them."

"I better," Skye says. "And I don't think I can thank Kara enough for distracting Coulson so we could come here."

"I'm pretty sure she gets the idea," Grant smiles. "I guess it's a good thing she was never able to get the mask completely off. But I don't think she'll be using it a whole lot, she was never really too happy about having it on. Thank goodness we were able to find that doctor to fix it so she didn't have that scar on her face for the rest of her life."

Skye nods, "Definitely. I know for a fact that I would not want to have a mask like that on my face for the rest of my life. Though, I'm sure somebody could have a lot of fun with something like that."

"Only you, Skye," he chuckles. "Only you." He guides her towards the open end of the hallway and then to the right side of the co-op space to the classroom.

"This is the room?" Skye asks as they approach the open door.

He nods, "Mm-hm. Jennifer?" he calls out as he and Skye enter the preschool classroom.

The woman in question turns around and smiles at the two of them, "Grant, hello." She walks towards them, "It's so great to see you again. What brings you by?"

"Last time I came by I mentioned I'd be stopping by again to introduce you to my wife so she can see the classroom and meet you and Hannah."

"Right," Jennifer nods. "Sorry, I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"No worries," Grant smiles. "Jennifer, this is my wife Skye. Skye, this is Jennifer, she's one of the teachers. I don't know where Hannah is, but she's the other teacher."

"Hannah's out running a few errands," Jennifer provides. She turns to Skye, holding a hand out, "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Skye takes her hand and smiles, "Likewise." She takes a deep breath, "So how long have you been teaching preschool?"

"About five years now," Jennifer replies. "And Hannah's been teaching it for about seven, I think. We've been teaching together for about four."

"Great," Skye smiles. "So you both know what you're doing, then. You'll be able to take care of Jess while also taking care of all the other kids in your class."

Jennifer laughs quietly and nods, "Yes, I can assure you that we'll be able to take care of her."

"Okay. And I'm really sorry if it seems like I'm doubting your skills and abilities as a teacher."

"It's alright," Jennifer assures her. "Grant mentioned that you might get like this since Jessica is your first."

"Yeah," Skye nods. "She's our little angel. And I'm away for work enough as it is, so I don't get to see her a whole lot. But when I'm away, I know she's either with Grant or our neighbors, so my mind's always at ease. But just the idea of her being away from her family for a few hours at a time five days a week...it's a little nerve wracking."

"I completely understand," Jennifer tells her. "It's completely normal to feel this way, so don't worry. Your little one will be in good hands here, and if I remember correctly from Grant's last visit, she seems to have taken to this place pretty quickly."

"That she did," Grant nods. He looks down at his wife, "I told you that this was a great place. Is your mind a little more at ease now?"

Skye bites her lip in thought and then lets out a sigh, "Yeah, I guess. I don't know why I was so worried."

"Like I said, it's perfectly normal," Jennifer tells her. "You aren't the first parent whose mind I've had to put at ease, and I'm sure you won't be the last. Now, why don't I show you around the classroom and talk to you a little bit about what your daughter will be doing this year."

Skye smiles, "That'd be great, thanks."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Still working on a special project for Brett, let me know if you're interested. I'd be happy to give you more details.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. We're really in the home stretch here, people. It's almost done. Three more chapters and then this masterpiece will be complete. I honestly can't believe it. It's crazy.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

_***June*** _

"This is a simple recovery mission for a supposed Inhuman," Skye explains to the team gathered in front of her. "Lincoln, YoYo, you two will be watching the entrance while Mack, Joey, and I go inside. Joey, I want you to take the lead on this one."

"Again?" Joey asks, slight panic etched on his face.

Skye nods, "Yes, again. I know last time didn't go as well as you would have liked it to go, so I want to see how you do a second time. Think you can handle it?"

Joey slowly nods his head, "Uh, yeah. I think I can."

Skye gives him a smile and places a hand on his shoulder, "I believe in you, Joey. I know you can do it. I'll be right there with you, but I want you to do most of the talking and everything else, alright?"

Joey nods again, "Yeah, okay. I just have to remain calm and not let them see me freaking out internally."

"Good," Skye nods with a small smile, removing her hand from his shoulder. She looks at the rest of the team as her phone goes off in her pocket, "Alright everybody, let's gear up and move out." She pulls her phone out and unlocks it to see a new message in the shell program. She opens it to find a new message from Grant with a video attached **I think we might need to consider putting Jess in some kind of activity in the afternoons after preschool.**

She looks up to make sure no one else is in the room before hitting play on the video.

_The video opens up to show the backyard, the center of it focused on the jungle gym Grant had built for Jessica the previous summer._

_"¿Estás listo, Jessie?" Grant's voice asks from behind the camera._

_"Yeah!" Jessica shouts. "¡Mírame, mamá!" she yells towards the camera. She turns towards the jungle gym and begins climbing all over it at a rapid pace, practically flying across the equipment._

_When she lands back on the grass she runs over towards the camera, stopping in front of it and smiling. "Did you see me, mamá?"_

_The camera turns and Grant's face fills the screen, "I seriously think we need to consider putting her in some kind of activity where she can use all of this energy. Maybe a gymnastics or a karate class. But did you see her go across the jungle gym? Pretty good, right? I love you so much, see you next month. Jessie, dile adios a mamá."_

_The camera shifts so Jessica is in the frame again, smiling, "¡Adios mamá! ¡Te amo!" She blows a kiss at the camera and the video stops._

"Hey tremors, you coming?"

She looks up to see Mack leaning in the doorway. "Yeah," she nods. "I'll be right there."

"Alright," he nods and then turns and walks away from the room.

Skye looks back down at her phone and types a reply _Can't believe how fast she went across that jungle gym. And I definitely agree with you. I'm leaving for a mission right now so we'll talk more about it when I get back._

**Okay. Stay safe out there and call me as soon as you're back. I love you.**

_I will. And I love you too._

* * *

_***July*** _

"Uncle Lance!" Jessica shouts when Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack walk through the front door of the house, carrying their overnight bags with them.

"Hey squirt," Hunter smiles at her. "Happy Fourth."

Jessica smiles up at him from her spot on the living room floor in front of the television screen, "Happy Fourth."

"How are you?" he asks the young girl.

"Good. Come sit," she tells him, patting the floor next to her. " _Mulan_ is on."

Hunter smiles and moves to sit down next to her, "Well then I guess I'll just have to sit and watch it with you. Has it been on long?"

Jessica shakes her head, "No. Just started."

"Good. Then I haven't missed any of the exciting parts yet."

"Nope," Jessica agrees, moving across the floor and climbing up into Hunter's lap.

Hunter smiles and drops a kiss to the toddlers head, wrapping an arm around her and leaning back against the couch, putting his full attention on the animated movie playing out on the TV screen.

"I'll go take all our bags to the guest room," Mack says, grabbing the other two bags and making his way down the hallway.

"Thanks," Bobbi gives him a friendly smile. "You know," she says to Skye, "I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to a scene like this." Her gaze fixes on the duo sitting on the living room floor, reciting the words from _Mulan_ together with smiles on their faces.

"Does it make you want to have one of your own?" Skye asks her friend.

Bobbi quickly turns her head towards the shorter woman, "What? Why would you even...?" She sighs, "I honestly don't know. I'm not too sure I'd like to raise a family around SHIELD, but SHIELD is all I've known for so many years; I think it'd be hard to walk away from it all."

Skye nods, "I get it. And it was just a question. But if I'm being perfectly honest with you, I definitely think you two should at least talk about it. I think you'd be a really great mom, and I can already tell that Hunter would be a good dad. Just promise me you'll think about it. Motherhood is something I never thought I'd get or even be good at, but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

Bobbi smiles, "I will definitely consider it."

"Good," Skye smiles and nods. "Since Hunter is a bit preoccupied," she glances over at the grown man and little girl singing along at the top of their lungs to the movie playing, "would you like to keep me company while I finish up lunch?"

"I'd love to," Bobbi smiles, following Skye into the kitchen.

...

"Jessie!" Skye calls across the backyard to her daughter. "Come here, baby girl. The fireworks are going to start soon." She sits down in one of the lawn chairs and smiles at the large group of people gathered in the yard.

"¡Mamá!" Jessica yells, running across the yard with Ian right beside her.

"Hey, angel," Skye smiles at her daughter. "Hi Ian," she smiles at the little boy.

"Hi," Ian smiles back.

"Are you two ready for the fireworks?" Skye asks them.

"Yeah!" Jessica nods and smiles.

"Me too!" Ian exclaims.

Skye smiles, "Good. Ian, why don't you go find your mom and dad so you can sit with them for the show, okay?"

"Okay. Bye Jessie," he smiles at his friend and then turns around to make his way through the yard, searching for his parents.

"And you, my little angel," Skye reaches out and pulls her daughter up into her lap, "are going to sit here and snuggle with me for the fireworks. How does that sound?"

Jessica smiles, "Te amo, mamá."

"I love you too, angel," Skye smiles, dropping a kiss to the top of her daughters' head. She grabs the blanket off the back of the chair and drapes it across their laps, wrapping her arms around Jessica to hold her close.

"There's my two favorite girls."

Skye and Jessica turn their heads to see Grant making his way towards them, a smile on his face.

"Hi daddy," Jessica smiles. "We gonna watch fireworks."

"I know," Grant smiles and nods, taking the seat next to Skye. "Can you say 'fuegos artificiales'?"

Jessica furrows her brows for a moment, "Fuegos artificiales."

"Muy bien," Grant smiles.

"Gracias," Jessica smiles back.

"De nada."

"As much as I love watching you two bonding over speaking another language," Skye speaks up, "you better not use it against me in the years to come."

"Don't worry," Grant tells his wife. "We won't use it against you, will we Jessie?"

Jessica smiles and shakes her head, "No."

"Good," Skye nods.

A loud pop from the dark sky above them pulls their attention to it. Another pop sounds followed by another, the bright colors of the fireworks lighting up the sky.

"Wow," Jessica smiles as she stares wide-eyed up above her, leaning back against Skye.

Skye just smiles down at her daughter, drops a kiss to the top of her head and leans back in her chair, resting her head on Grant's shoulder as she watches the fireworks.

* * *

_***August*** _

"Hey, are you feeling okay?"

Skye looks up to see Hunter standing in front of her, his brows knit together and a beer in his hand.

She gives him half a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Hunter moves across the room and sits down next to her, "Now why don't I believe you?"

Skye sighs, "It's nothing, really. Just that Jess is starting preschool next month so Grant took her out today to get her what she'll need before everything is gone."

Hunter nods, "Ah, I think I understand what's going on here. You wish you were there with them right now, yeah?"

Skye shrugs, "I don't know. I guess it's just really starting to hit me that my baby girl is growing up. I don't even know where all the time went. I feel like I've missed so much by being here all the time."

"I'm sorry about that. Really, I am."

"Thanks," she smiles at him. "But it was my choice to stay here, I could have left for good when I found out I was pregnant and I chose not to. It's completely my fault why I wasn't there for her more. But before the year is out I'm going to pick one of the members of my team to take over for me permanently."

"You're really going to leave?" Hunter asks her.

She nods, "I am. I haven't decided when exactly I'm going to leave, but I promised Grant that I'd make everything final before the year is out."

"This is a pretty big decision to make."

"I know," Skye nods. "And I can tell you right now that it's one decision I am definitely not going to regret making for even a second."

"I'm glad," Hunter smiles.

The sound of her phone going off pulls Skye's attention to it. She unlocks it and goes into the shell program to find a new text from Grant with a photo attached **Someone is really excited about all the stuff we got today for her first day of preschool next month.** The photo shows Jessica sitting in the middle of the couch, a brand new _Paw Patrol_ backpack in her lap and school supplies surrounding her, a wide grin on her face.

She smiles and types back a reply _She looks so happy. I can't believe she's already going to be in preschool._

**Neither can I. We even bought her a special first day of preschool outfit. She insisted on getting a flannel shirt so that she can look like you.**

Skye beams _That's awesome._

"Hey Hunter, look at this," Skye turns her phone so he can see the photo.

Hunter smiles, "Looks like someone is pretty eager to go to school."

"Yes she is," Skye smiles sadly at the photo.

"Oi, don't be like that," Hunter tells her, lightly nudging her knee.

"Sorry," Skye says. "I can't help it. My baby is growing up and pretty soon she's going to go off on her own to face the world."

"Whoa," Hunter holds his hand up, "slow down there for a minute." He lowers his hand and looks Skye directly in the eyes, "She's three, Skye, so I think you've got plenty of time yet before you have to actually start worrying about her going off on her own."

"Yeah, I know."

"Besides," Hunter continues, "if you're so emotional about her growing up, you and Grant can always have another kid. Ever thought about that?"

Skye tightens her lips and looks at Hunter.

"What? What is it?" he asks.

"We uh…"

"Don't tell me you're pregnant again," he whispers, leaning forward slightly.

She shakes her head, "No, I'm not. But we've been trying pretty much every time I go home. No luck yet, but I'm hoping it'll happen soon."

"Wow. How long ago did you two decide to have another?"

"We've been trying since March," she tells him.

Hunter sits back, "Well good luck with that, then."

"Thanks," she smiles.

"I have to go and do some things now, but I don't want to leave you if you're still upset."

Skye gives him a kind smile, "I'm better, I promise. I think I just needed to talk to someone."

Hunter smiles, "Good, I'm glad. I'll see you later then, yeah?"

Skye nods, "Yeah." She gives him another smile as he stands from the couch and makes his way out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> *Are you ready, Jessie?  
> *Look at me  
> *Fireworks
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. :) TWO. MORE. CHAPTERS. LEFT. I can't believe it. This is crazy.
> 
> Enjoy!

_***September*** _

Rolling over to hit the snooze on the alarm clock, Skye turns back over to curl up against Grant's side.

"I don't want to get up," she mumbles against his t-shirt. "Getting up means taking Jessie to preschool and Jessie going to preschool means she's growing up and I don't think I can handle that right now."

"Even if you don't want to get up, you're going to have to eventually," Grant tells her, his eyes still closed and his arms wrapped around her.

"Why's that?" she asks.

"Because it's what's best," he tells her. "Jess has preschool this morning, and then she'll come home, have lunch, take a nap, and then go to gymnastics to try it and see if she likes it. Just like we agreed on."

"I know. I just don't like the fact that she's growing up. She needs to stop."

"Well she isn't going to stop anytime soon. So you better get used to it, Skye. Now get up so we can get the day started. You go wake up Jess while I get breakfast started."

Skye sighs, "Fine." She reluctantly pulls herself away from his warmth, lying on her back with her eyes still closed.

Grant chuckles quietly and leans over to press a kiss to her cheek before climbing out of the bed and making his way out into the kitchen, making sure to turn off the alarm clock on his way out.

Skye lies in the bed for a few more minutes before throwing the covers off of her body and standing from the bed.

Grabbing one of Grant's t-shirts from his pile of clean laundry, she pulls it on over her sports bra and then pads the short distance across the carpet to her daughter's bedroom.

Pushing the door open, she steps inside the room and walks over to the small bed, crouching down next to it. "Jessie," she speaks up, reaching out to brush some of the little girls' hair out of her face. "Time to wake up, angel. It's your first day of preschool today. And gymnastics too. So it's time to get out of bed."

Jessica stirs under her blankets, her tiny brows furrowing together before she slowly cracks open her eyes and stares up at her mother. "Hola, mamá."

Skye smiles, "Hi, baby. Are you excited for your first day of preschool?"

"Sí," Jessica nods, still half asleep.

"Then let's get out to the kitchen and see how daddy's doing on breakfast," Skye smiles.

Jessica simply raises her arms out towards Skye.

Skye just laughs quietly as she stands up and then leans down to lift her daughter out of her bed and settle her on her hip. "You're lucky you're so dang cute," Skye tells her daughter, pressing a kiss to her temple. Then she turns around to make her way out of the bedroom and down the hallway towards the kitchen, whispering sweet nothings in the three year olds ear as they go.

"There's my two favorite girls," Grant smiles when he sees them entering the kitchen.

"Hola, papá," Jessica smiles at him.

"Hey, angel," Grant smiles back. "Are you ready for your first day of school?"

Jessica nods, "Sí."

"Well I'm happy to hear that. And how do some special first day of preschool pancakes sound to you?"

Jessica grins and nods her head excitedly, "Yeah!"

"Alright then," he smiles. "Special first day of school pancakes coming right up."

...

"I still can't believe we're actually doing this right now," Skye says to Grant as they make their way down the sidewalk towards the elementary school, Jessica walking between them and swinging their hands, a smile on her small face. Grant is clutching Buddy's leash in his other hand, the dog trotting happily in front of them.

"Neither can I," Grant replies. "It's honestly a little hard to believe."

"Hey Jessie," Skye looks down at her daughter, "do you want to come back home with me and daddy? We can cuddle up in bed and watch a movie and have some popcorn."

Jessica shakes her head, "No thanks. I wanna go to school. Like Trevor."

Grant chuckles, "Nice try, babe."

Skye sighs, "It was worth a shot. I just can't believe our baby is actually going to _preschool_. The last three years have gone by way too fast. I just want her to stay my baby forever."

Grant nods, "I know exactly what you mean. She's already three and going to school. How on earth did we let this happen?"

"Ian!" Jessica shouts and then breaks free of her parents' hands to run ahead of them where Ian is standing with Trevor and Kendra in front of the school.

The little boy smiles at her, "Hi Jessie."

Jessica immediately pulls him into a hug which he happily returns.

Grant and Skye smile as they approach their friends.

"Hey Kendra," Skye smiles at the other woman.

"Hey," Kendra smiles back. "How has your morning been so far?"

"Pretty okay," Skye replies. "I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that my baby isn't exactly a baby anymore."

Kendra nods, "I know exactly how you feel. I was the same way with Trevor."

"I honestly don't know how I'm going to deal with all of this," Skye says. "However, I do feel the need to document this moment. And I'm sure Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack would love to have a picture of this." She pulls her phone out of her back pocket, "Jessie, let me get a picture of you for Uncle Lance, Aunt Bobbi, and Uncle Mack."

"And Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben," Jessica tells her mom.

"But they both saw you this morning already," Grant reminds his daughter.

"Lo sé," Jessica says.

Skye smiles, "Alright, baby, move a little to your left." She waits as Jessica moves across the cement. "Good, right there. Smile big for me." Jessica grins wide and Skye snaps the photo, smiling as she looks at it.

"Ian too!" Jessica shouts, already grabbing at her best friend's arm and pulling him towards her.

Skye laughs quietly, "Okay, Ian too." She holds her phone up and snaps a quick photo of the two kids, their arms wound tightly around each other with large smiles on both of their faces. "So cute," Skye smiles at the photo. She looks at Kendra, "Do you want me to send you a copy?"

"That'd be great," Kendra smiles. "Thanks."

"No problem," Skye smiles back. She looks down at her phone and attaches the two photos to a new message in the shell program for Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack _First day of preschool today :) Can't believe this is actually happening._

She hits send and then tucks her phone back into her pocket just as the school bell rings. She takes a deep breath, "I guess this is it then." She looks at her daughter, "Jessie, come give us a kiss."

Jessica runs over to her parents, wrapping her arms around their legs in a hug, "Te amo."

"Yo también te amo," Grant smiles.

"I love you so much, baby girl," Skye drops a kiss to the top of her head. "Now get going; Miss Jennifer is waiting for you."

Jessica pulls away from her parents and gives Buddy a quick hug and kiss to the top of his head. Then she turns around and walks towards the front doors of the building. Ian is right beside her, their tiny hands clasped together tightly as they go.

...

"¡Mamá!

"There's my big girl," Skye smiles when she sees Jessica running across the cement towards her. She stoops down to pull her daughter into a hug and then lifts her off of the ground, settling her on her hip. "How was school?" she asks.

"Good," Jessica smiles. "Lots of fun."

"Well I'm glad," Skye smiles. "Do you know what time it is now?"

Jessica shakes her head, "No."

"It's time for us to go home so you can have lunch and take a nap before your first day of gymnastics."

"Really?"

Skye nods, "Really."

"Where's daddy?" Jessica asks.

"He's in the car," Skye replies. "He got a phone call so he stayed in the car to talk. What do you say we go and see him now?"

Jessica nods, "Yeah. Is Buddy here too?" the toddler asks as Skye begins making her way towards the car.

"Nope. Buddy stayed at home. But I'm sure he's very excited to see you."

"Me too," Jessica says. "I missed him."

"What about me and daddy? Did you miss us?"

Jessica smiles and nods, "Yeah."

"Glad to hear it," Skye smiles back. She steps towards the car and pulls open the back door, leaning inside to set Jessica in her booster seat.

"Hi daddy," Jessica smiles at Grant.

"Who is that back there?" Grant looks through the rear view mirror.

"It's me, daddy," Jessica says.

Grant sucks in a breath and shakes his head, "Mm, I don't know. You just got done with preschool. Skye, are you sure you have the right kid? I don't remember ours being so grown up."

"I'm pretty sure this is the right kid," Skye tells her husband. She looks down at Jessica, "But I think you may be right. This girl looks too grown up to be our baby girl."

"Definitely too grown up," Grant smiles.

"Soy yo, papá!" Jessica exclaims with a small smile. "Soy yo!"

"Are you sure?" Grant asks. Jessica nods her head. Grant lets out a playful sigh, "Alright. I guess I believe you. Should we go home now?"

Jessica nods, "Sí, por favor. Mamá, go sit in your spot so we can go home."

Skye smiles, "Okay, baby girl." Skye drops a kiss to her daughters head and then shuts the car door, walking around to the passenger side door and climbing inside.

* * *

"Look at her go," Skye smiles, watching from a bench along the wall as Jessica follows along with the instructions given to her by her gymnastics teacher. She turns her head to her husband, "Babe, are you watching her?"

Grant smiles and nods, "Yeah, I am. She's a natural."

Skye pulls her phone out and unlocks it, going right for her camera app. She holds it up in front of her and focuses it on Jessica.

"What are you doing?" Grant asks her.

"Getting a video, obviously. I think it'd be nice to document this moment and plus, I think Bobbi, Hunter, Mack, Kara, and Ben would love to see this."

Grant smiles, "Then record away."

Skye gives him a smile and then turns back to the scene in front of her, hitting the record button on the camera. She watches as her daughter stretches and tumbles all over the mat, earning praises from the teacher.

After a little while, she stops the video and then attaches it to a message for her friends _First day of gymnastics is going very well so far. She's so enthusiastic about all of this; I think we may have found the perfect activity for her._

She hits send on the message and then looks back up to watch as her daughter does a somersault across the mat.

Her phone buzzing pulls her attention to it. She looks down to see a new message from Kara **Oh my goodness! Look at my little ladybug go! She's so good. :)**

It buzzes again with a message from Bobbi **Wow. She's really good. I think she got those natural acrobatic skills from you and Grant.**

Skye smiles and writes a reply to Kara _Yes, she is very good. You'll have to stop by later so she can show off the new tricks she's learned today. I'm sure she'll be very excited to show you._

She hits send and then types back a reply to Bobbi _Thanks. Next time you guys come by we'll have to get her to show you all the tricks she's learning._

She hits send and then looks back up to watch her daughter, a wide smile on her face.

* * *

_***October*** _

Light arguing draws Skye's attention away from her phone and up towards the door to the lounge, seeing Bobbi and Hunter making their way inside.

"Hey guys," she says to them, grabbing their attention.

They both turn to look at her. "Hey Skye," Bobbi smiles. She and Hunter sit down on the couch across from her. "What's up?"

"Not much. Today is Jessie's class Halloween party, though," Skye tells her friends. "Grant's there with a few other parents to help out."

"He really is the perfect dad," Bobbi comments. "He's getting completely involved in everything. It's amazing."

"Yeah, he is pretty amazing," Skye smiles. "He actually sent me this picture earlier," she opens up the photo and shows it to Hunter and Bobbi. The picture shows Jessica and Ian sitting on the floor of their classroom, Jessica is dressed up as Mulan and Ian is dressed as a cowboy; they're both grinning up at the camera with a plate of treats in front of each of them.

"That's really cute," Bobbi smiles. "And I see she's dressed up as Mulan. Again."

Skye nods, "Yes, she is. Like I've said before, she really loves Mulan. I'm just hoping she doesn't try it again next year too."

"Why not?" Hunter asks. "Mulan is a perfectly acceptable character to dress up as for Halloween. What do you have against her?"

"Nothing," Skye tells him. "I just don't want her to be one of those kids who dresses up as the same exact thing every single year."

"I'm sure it'll pass," Bobbi assures her.

"Yeah, maybe."

"Are you going home for Halloween?" Bobbi asks her.

Skye nods, "Yeah, hopefully. If there isn't anything crazy happening here then I'm going to take a couple of days off."

"Need us to cover for you if Coulson starts asking questions again?" Bobbi asks.

Skye smiles, "You guys are amazing. I don't think I can ever thank you enough for everything you've done for us."

"We're more than happy to," Hunter tells her. "We see how happy Grant and Jessica make you; we don't want SHIELD to disrupt that in any way."

"Thanks," Skye smiles with tears shining in her eyes, "you guys are the absolute best, truly."

* * *

"Well I'd say that today's festivities were a very huge success," Grant tells his wife as he falls down next to her on the couch. "What do you think?"

"I think it went very well," Skye tells him. "Is our little warrior in bed?"

Grant nods, "Yes she is, still in her costume, mind you, but in bed. And I know you don't really like it, but Buddy is in her bed too."

Skye sighs, "Grant."

"She gave me those eyes, Skye, _your_ eyes. I couldn't say no to her."

"Man, Kara and Bobbi were so right," Skye comments.

Grant furrows his brows, "Right about what?"

"That you can't say no to Jess because she has my eyes."

"Well your eyes are one of the first things I noticed about you when we first met," he smiles.

"I thought it was my boobs," she smirks, remembering that day very well.

Grant blushes slightly, "Maybe at first. Even though that was definitely your fault. But after the fact, and as I started to get to know you, your eyes are what really got me."

"And why is it that I'm just now hearing about this?"

"I thought you already knew."

She shakes her head, "Nope. Not a thing."

"Oh, well, your eyes are amazing. Some of the most amazing eyes I've ever seen in my entire life. They are so hypnotizing; I could get lost in them for hours and never deny you anything with a single look."

"Wow," Skye breathes out. "You really know how to talk to a woman."

"Only for you, Skye," he smiles. "Always only for you."

"It better stay that way," she tells him pointedly.

"Don't worry. I could never look at another woman the same way that I look at you. It's nowhere near possible. Yes, other women may be beautiful, but you are gorgeous. You're beyond gorgeous and no one can even hold a candle to you in my eyes."

"Shut up and kiss me already."

Grant smiles, leaning forward to press his lips against hers, his hands settling on her hips.

Skye smiles into kiss, deepening it as she turns and moves forward on the couch to sit closer to him, bringing one of her hands up to the back of his neck.

Sliding his hand down to grab her thigh, he gently pulls on her and leans forward until her back hits the couch and he's hovering above her.

"I love you so much," he whispers against her lips.

"Show, don't tell," Skye says, capturing his lips in hers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you all think? Let me know your thoughts in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Alright, so, something big is happening next chapter. And I'm sure it's something most, if not all, of you have been waiting for since very early on in this story.
> 
> Also, still working on a special project for Brett. If you're interested, let me know, I'd be happy to give your more info.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya. This one is probably the longest so far, because the final chapter is by far the longest. :) Really hope you all enjoy this one. I had a good time writing it.
> 
> And now, everyone, enjoy. :)

_***November*** _

The hospital double doors burst open, a small group of paramedics wheeling a gurney through the doors and into the hospital. Doctors and nurses immediately swarm around the gurney, beginning their work.

"What do we have?" A doctor asks one of the paramedics as they quickly wheel the gurney down the long hospital hallway.

"32 year old female, piece of rebar pierced the far left side of her abdomen, complete through and through," the paramedic answers in rapid fire.

"Okay," the doctor nods his head. "Let's get her to the O.R. and prepped for surgery immediately."

"Bobbi..." Skye gasps out, her hand reaching out for her friend.

Bobbi rushes over to the side of the gurney, halting the medical staff from continuing down the hallway. "I'm right here," she grips Skye's hand tightly in both of hers.

"Call Grant..." Skye swallows thickly.

"I will," Bobbi nods vigorously. "Don't worry; I'll make sure he knows what's happening."

"Thanks..."

"Ma'am," the doctor speaks up to Bobbi, "we need to get her into surgery right now."

"Right, sorry," Bobbi nods, letting go of Skye's hand. "Please save her, she has a three year old daughter at home."

"We'll do what we can to make sure that little girl doesn't lose her mother," the doctor tells her. "I have to go now so I can start operating but I'll come out and let you know how things are as soon as we're done."

Bobbi nods, "Okay, thank you." She wrings her hands together as she watches her friend being wheeled down the hallway towards the operating room.

Turning around, she walks down into the waiting room to find the rest of the immediate team sitting in the chairs lining the walls.

"You guys got here fast," she says.

"Bob," Hunter speaks up, standing from his seat and making his way over to her. "Hey, are you alright?" He places one hand on her lower back to try and comfort her.

She nods her head, "Yeah, I'm okay." She turns her attention to the rest of the team, "Uh, they just wheeled her down into surgery so it's probably going to be a while until we know anything. The doctor said he'd come out after the surgery to let us know what's going on."

"How bad was she when you guys got here?" Coulson asks from his seat.

"A piece of rebar went clean through the left side of her abdomen," Bobbi replies. She looks down at her blood stained hands, "I'm uh, I'm going to go and wash up."

Hunter leans closer to her and lowers his voice, "Do you want me or Mack to call Grant and tell him what's going on?"

Bobbi shakes her, "No, that's okay. I think I can do it. I told Skye that I would."

"Alright," he nods. "Come and get me if you can't, though, yeah?"

She nods her head and gives him a grateful smile before turning and making her way towards the bathroom.

Once inside, she goes for the closest sink to her, desperately scrubbing at her hands to wash off as much blood as she can. As she scrubs, she lets a few tears fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks, splashing against the porcelain and mixing with the tap water and blood.

Turning off the faucet, she grabs a few paper towels to dry her hands off and takes a few deep breaths to calm herself down before pulling her phone out of her back pocket. Her hands still shaking, she opens up the shell program and hits call on the second number listed, holding the phone up to her ear.

_"Hello?"_

"Grant," she replies.

_"Bobbi? Hey. I don't hear from you too often. What's going on?"_

"It's Skye," she swallows thickly. "There was an accident."

_"What happened?"_

"Um, she, Joey, Lincoln, and I were going after someone under cover, not an Inhuman, just a regular guy, and we chased him into this abandoned building that was having some construction work done to it. I guess she didn't hear him or feel his presence through vibrations because one minute she was standing on this platform and the next she was lying on the ground with a piece of rebar through her abdomen. She's in surgery right now, but before they took her back there she told me to call you and let you know what's happening."

_"Well thank you for calling me. Which SHIELD facility are you at?"_

"We're not," she tells him. "We're at the hospital that's in the next town over from where you live. Her injury was really bad and it might have gotten worse if we tried to get her to a SHIELD facility."

_"Okay. Jess is still at preschool but I'll pull her out right now and then we'll be there as soon as we can."_

Bobbi shakes her head, "No, let her finish her class. Skye's still in surgery and I'm not sure how much longer it'll take. So just let Jess finish her class and then you guys can head over. Just make sure you tell her gymnastics coach that she won't be there today."

_"Are you sure?"_

"Positive. Skye probably won't be out of surgery for a while."

_"Okay, thanks. I'll do that."_

"Good. I'll be waiting here for you when you guys arrive."

_"Thanks. And Bobbi?"_

"Yeah?"

_"Thank you for being there for her."_

"Anytime."

She hangs up the phone and then slides down the wall, letting the dam break and more tears flow down her face.

* * *

"Family of Skye?"

Coulson immediately stands up from his chair and takes a step forward, "She doesn't have any. We're the closest that she has."

Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack share a look, the three of them fighting to bite their tongues and not say anything about Grant or Jessica.

"Okay," the doctor breathes out with a slight furrow in his brows. "Well, the surgery went well and she's in her room now resting."

"Can we go back and see her?" Jemma asks.

The doctor shakes his head, "Not right now, I'm sorry. She needs to rest and not be disturbed right now. But I'll let you know when you can go back."

"Thank you," Coulson says.

The doctor nods, "Of course." He turns around and makes his way over to the main desk.

Bobbi leans closer to Hunter, "I'll be right back." She stands from her chair and walks over to the doctor. "Hi," she says to him. "Could I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course," he nods, turning towards her.

"Great. So um, that thing about Skye not having family, it's not entirely true. She has a husband and a daughter. But most of the people out there don't know because they aren't on the best terms with her husband."

"Okay, that's understandable. And I think I remember you mentioning something about a daughter when she was brought in."

Bobbi nods, "Yeah. Well, they're on their way here and I was hoping that you could let me take them back to Skye's room for a bit before the others go back."

The doctor hesitates, "I don't know..."

"Please, doctor. She hasn't seen them in a few weeks and her husband is really worried about her."

The doctor sighs, "Alright, you can take them back to see her when they arrive."

She breathes out a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much."

"No problem," the doctor smiles. "But if the others ask to go back and see her, I won't really be able to stop them without explaining."

"That's okay," Bobbi says. "Thank you." She turns around and makes her way back over to the team. "I just had a few questions for the doctor," she tells them all, sitting back down in her chair.

...

Ten minutes later Bobbi hears her phone go off in her pocket. She pulls it out and unlocks it to see a new text in the shell program from Grant **Just parked the car and we're headed towards the building now. How's Skye?**

_She's out of surgery but they aren't letting anyone back to see her yet. I talked to her doctor and he's going to let you and Jess in to see Skye before everyone else. Wait for me in the back stairwell and I'll take you to her room. The team is all here in the waiting room._

**Okay. Thank you.**

She locks her phone and then stands up from her chair, "I'm going to go and use the bathroom real fast. Let me know when we're allowed to go back and see her." She looks over at Hunter and Mack and gives them both a subtle look before making her way out of the room.

Reaching the back stairwell, she pushes the door open to see Grant pacing back and forth, a worried expression on his face; Jessica is sitting on his hip, her head resting on his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his neck, and Bug clutched tightly in her hand.

"Grant," she speaks up, getting his attention.

He turns to face her, "Bobbi. Where is she?"

"This way," she beckons for him to follow behind her and then makes her way out of the stairwell and down the hallway towards Skye's room.

"Hola, Aunt Bobbi," Jessica says quietly from her place.

Bobbi smiles at the young girl, "Hola, Jessie."

"¿Por qué está mamá aquí?" Jessica asks.

"Mamá got hurt today so she came here so that the doctors could fix her up as good as new."

"Quiero ver a mamá," Jessica frowns.

"You'll get to see her in just a minute, angel," Grant tells his daughter.

"Here we are," Bobbi finally says when they reach the correct hospital room. "She might be sleeping still, so be quiet when you go inside. Oh, hang on," she digs into her pocket and pulls out a thin chain with Skye's wedding ring hanging off of it. She holds it out to Grant, "I managed to get this off of her before they put her in the ambulance."

"Thank you, Bobbi," Grant smiles gratefully at the woman, taking the ring from her.

She gives him a small smile and waves off the thanks, "It was no problem, really. Now go on in. I'll stay out here and make sure you guys aren't disturbed, especially by the team."

Grant gives her a small nod and then pushes the door open, stepping through it and closing it behind him.

"Daddy?" Jessica speaks up.

"Yeah, angel?"

"Why is mamá sleeping? It's not bedtime."

"Mamá's sleeping so that the medicine the doctors gave her can work on making sure she's all better on the inside."

"Oh."

Grant moves towards the bed and sits down in the chair next to the bed, setting Jessica in his lap.

"Can mamá hear us?" Jessica asks after a minute.

"I know she can hear you," Grant tells his daughter. "Say whatever you want to say to her."

Jessica looks at her dad for a moment before leaning forward in his lap, resting her tiny arms on the edge of the bed. "Hola mamá," she says quietly. "Aunt Bobbi says we hafta be quiet 'cause you're sleeping. But I think you should wake up now. Cause it's not bedtime yet. Bedtime is when it's dark and there's no sun. But there's sun outside still so it's not bedtime yet. So you should wake up and you can sing to me. Te quiero mucho, mamá."

Skye shifts slightly in the bed, causing Jessica to jump and gasp. She turns her head towards Grant, "Papá."

"I see, Jess," Grant nods his head, not taking his eyes off of his wife as he pulls Jessica back into his lap.

"Do you think it's 'cause I was talking to her?" Jessica asks him.

Grant smiles, "I'm sure that's exactly what it was, angel."

"Maybe we can sing to her," Jessica suggests. "Mamá sings to me when I feel icky and then I feel less icky."

"I think that's a great idea," Grant smiles. "You pick a song and start, and then I'll join you, okay?"

Jessica nods her head, "Okay." She thinks for a minute and then opens her mouth to start singing, _"Welcome to wherever you are, this is your life, you've made it this far. Welcome you've got to—"_

"I'm so sorry, Grant. I promise I tried to stop them from coming inside, but a nurse said that they could come back and they all just pushed right past me."

Grant slowly turns around in his seat to see the SHIELD team standing in the doorway; Coulson is at the front of the pack while Bobbi is standing off to the side with an apologetic look on her face.

"It's okay," Grant says to Bobbi. "At least you tried, that's what counts here."

"Ward," Coulson sneers out through gritted teeth and then stalks over to him, towering over the man as Grant is still sitting in the chair. "What the _hell_ are you doing here, you psychopath? Are you here to gloat or something else equally as sickening? How did they even let someone like you back here? They should've just shot you down on the spot."

"Papá," Jessica whimpers, curling herself further into Grant's arms. "Haz que pare. Por favor."

Without taking his eyes off of Coulson, Grant speaks softly to his daughter, "Jessie, go over and see Aunt Bobbi, okay?"

Jessica nods her head, slides down out of Grant's lap and rushes into the awaiting arms of Bobbi. The tall agent stands up straight, holding the little girl tightly against her as she buries her face into the crook of Bobbi's neck and lets out a few more whimpers.

"Shh. You're okay, Jess." Bobbi rubs a hand soothingly up and down Jessica's back.

Everyone, except Hunter and Mack, stares at Bobbi in complete shock.

"I know how you feel about me, Coulson," Grant speaks up to his former boss, shifting in the chair so he's sitting up more, "but I'd really appreciate it if you didn't speak to me like that with my daughter present."

"Your daughter?" Coulson asks astonished.

"Clearly you heard her call me Papá. It means 'dad' in Spanish," Grant tells him.

"I know what it means," Coulson snaps. "And there's no way that she's your child."

"Yeah," Simmons speaks up. "No one in their right mind would have a child with you."

"Call me crazy, then."

Grant's head whips around to look at Skye, his eyes wide and one hand immediately going for hers. "Skye," he says.

Her eyes slowly open and she smiles weakly at him, "Hey."

"Hey," he smiles back. He reaches up onto the table next to the bed and pours her a small glass of water, handing it over to her. "You're probably really thirsty; surgery can do that to you."

Skye takes the cup from him and downs the entirety of it before handing it back. "Thanks, babe," she gives him a grateful smile.

"You're welcome," he smiles back. "Oh." He opens his hand to show her the ring lying in his palm, not caring that the team is gathered in the room. "Missing something? Bobbi managed to get this off of you before they brought you in. I'm thinking that you might want it back."

She smiles, "Definitely."

"Do you want it around your neck?" he asks her.

She shakes her head, "Mm-mm." She swallows, "You put that ring exactly where you put it a year and a half ago, Mr. Ward."

Grant smiles, "It would be my pleasure, Mrs. Ward." He unclasps the chain, allows the ring to fall into his palm, and then slides the gold band around the third finger of Skye's left hand. He lifts her hand to his lips and presses a single kiss to the knuckle near her ring. "Perfect."

"Just as it should be," she smiles at him.

"¡Mamá!" Jessica shouts from Bobbi's arms when she realizes what is happening on the other side of the room. She slides down out of her aunt's arms and rushes over to the bed, climbing up and immediately throwing herself across Skye's body to hug her.

Skye groans quietly at the slight pain in her side.

Jessica pulls her head up quickly, her eyes wide, "¿Te lastimé, mamá? Lo siento, lo siento."

Skye smiles and runs her hand through Jessica's hair, "No, baby girl. You didn't hurt me. Mamá's just a little sore still from getting hurt. But I think your hugs are actually making me feel a little bit better."

Jessica beams, "Te amo, mamá."

"I love you, too, Jess," Skye tells her daughter as the little girl lies back down against her. She smoothes back some of her daughter's hair and presses a kiss to the top of her head.

"Skye," Coulson speaks up, "would you care to explain to us exactly what's going on here?"

"I think it's kind of obvious," Skye replies. "Grant and I are married and we have a daughter together."

"But why him?" Lincoln speaks up with a hurt expression on his face. "After everything you said that he did and the way that he hurt you and everyone else. Why him?"

Skye sighs. She looks at the team, "Well to be completely honest with all of you, neither of us really expected or meant for any of this to happen. All it was supposed to be when we started fooling around was, in my case, a way to relieve all the stress that built up from being an agent. I'm not too sure why Grant agreed to it all."

"You know how I've always felt about you, Skye. Even if I did think you'd never actually be with me for real, do you honestly think I'd pass up such an opportunity to be with you?" he asks his wife with a small smile.

She laughs quietly, "No, I guess not." She turns her attention back to the team, "But anyways, because of all of our motel room rendezvous, I found out I was pregnant with this little angel here," she smiles down at the quiet form of her daughter. She looks back up at the team, "I decided I didn't want Jessica around anything involving such an insane life that we all lead, so I had her stay with Grant and I'd go visit them every few months while I figured things out with my own team."

"That's why you were always leaving," Simmons speaks up, the realization dawning on her. "And why you were always so interested in your phone, too."

Skye nods her head, "Grant always sends me pictures and videos of Jess while I'm on base."

"Hang on," Coulson says. He turns around to face Hunter and Bobbi, "You two knew about this, didn't you?"

Bobbi takes a small step forward and speaks up, "When you asked me and Hunter to tail Skye it was the same day as Jessica's first birthday party."

"It was actually a pretty good party," Hunter adds in from where he's leaning back against one of the walls. "I'd give it about a five out of ten. Although, at her second birthday party there was face painting, which is always a fun time, so I'd say that party is about a seven. Of course, the bouncy castle and Mulan at her third birthday party was much more fun, so I think I'd give that one a nine. Because no matter how great a party is, there's still always some room for improvement."

Everyone just looks at him.

He shrugs, "What? I like parties."

"Anyway," Skye smiles, "yes, Hunter and Bobbi knew about all of this and kept it a secret, but only because I asked them to. Then Mack found out because Hunter's an idiot, and he agreed to keep it a secret too. I'm sorry if any of you are feeling hurt or betrayed in any way, but I had to do what I thought was best for my family."

"Does anyone else know about this?" Coulson asks. "Or was it just you three?" Coulson looks pointedly at Bobbi, Mack, and Hunter.

"I knew," May speaks up.

Everyone's head whips towards her.

Skye's eyes go wide, "What? How on earth did you find out?"

May shrugs, "I'm good at what I do."

"Um, okay. Exactly how much did you know about before today?"

"Not a lot," May admits. "But I did know that something was going on. I figured out bits and pieces here and there; I knew Ward was a major part of it, but I didn't know about your daughter."

"Why didn't you say anything to anybody?" Ward asks her.

"It wasn't my business to tell." She looks at Skye, "At first I was concerned, because of Ward and knowing everything that he did and is capable of, but then I noticed how much happier you seemed to be after you came back from those months you took off which I'm assuming must have been when you were pregnant."

Skye nods, "Yeah, it was."

"Well, like I said, I didn't know a whole lot, but I knew something was up. You were looking at your phone a lot more, you were in your room a lot, you would take a lot of private phone calls, and you were leaving every few months for days at a time. And whenever you came back you seemed to be somewhere else."

"How come you never asked me about it?" Skye questions.

May shrugs, "I figured you'd tell us on your own time, when you were ready to do so."

"Wow," Skye says. "This is…completely unexpected. I had no idea that you knew."

A soft knock at the door pulls everyone's attention to it to see the doctor peeking his head into the room. "Well you certainly have quite the crowd gathered here," the doctor smiles, stepping into the room and closing the door. "You must be the husband," he smiles at Grant, holding a hand out to him.

"Grant Ward," he accepts the doctors' hand. "Thank you for saving my wife, sir."

The doctor smiles, "Best part about the job." He steps over to the end of Skye's bed and smiles down at her, "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Skye tells him. "But I'm sure that's to be expected."

"Yes it is," the doctor nods. "I'm pleased to tell you that your surgery went very smoothly and we were able to repair all the damage that was done without harming your baby in any way. So everything should be compl—"

"Whoa, wait a minute," Skye interrupts him. "Baby?" she raises her eyebrows. "I'm—I'm pregnant?" she asks, tears immediately springing to her eyes.

The doctor nods his head, "Yes. You're still very early on in this pregnancy, so the baby hasn't gotten very big yet, which means it was nowhere close to the rebar when you got pierced. Your baby is perfectly fine. Though we'd like to keep you here a few days for observation just to be sure."

Skye nods her head and lets out a breath, "Wow. This is so amazing." She looks over at her husband with tears in her eyes, "Grant…"

He smiles, tears shining in his own eyes, "Yeah, I heard him. We're finally going to get that other baby we both want," he grins, leaning across the bed to kiss her. When he pulls back, he has a few tears running down his face.

"Why are you crying?" Skye laughs quietly, wiping the tears from his cheeks with the pad of her thumb.

"I'm just so happy," he smiles.

"Me too," she smiles back.

"Well I guess I'll leave you now," the doctor speaks up quietly with a small smile. "You seem to be in good hands. I'll come back to check on you a little bit later." He turns and makes his way past the team and out of the room.

Grant leans down to press a kiss to Skye's forehead and then sits back down in the chair behind him, grabbing a hold of her hand in his and letting his wide smile show.

"Skye? Oh my goodness, are you okay?"

Looking past the team, Skye smiles when she sees Kara and Ben entering the room, completely ignoring the SHIELD team, and heading straight for her bedside.

"Hey Kara," Skye greets the other woman. "Hey Ben," she smiles at the man.

"Hey," Ben smiles back.

"Grant called me on his way over and told me what happened," Kara speaks up. "Ben and I were out running some errands but we got here as fast as we could. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Skye nods. "But my side is probably going to be a little tender for a while. And then I'm going to get a lot bigger over the next few months."

Kara furrows her brows, "What do you…" She gasps, "Wait, are you pregnant?"

Skye smiles and nods, "Mm-hmm. We found out just now when the doctor was telling us how everything went with the surgery."

Kara smiles and leans down to hug Skye, "Oh my goodness. Congratulations. I know you guys have been trying for a while; this is so exciting."

"Thanks, Kara," Skye smiles at the women when she pulls away.

"Congratulations, you guys," Ben smiles at them, clapping Grant on the shoulder. "This is really exciting news."

"Thanks, man," Grant smiles up at him.

Jessica stirs on Skye's lap and then lifts her head up, "¿Mamá?"

"I'm right here, angel," Skye smiles, running a hand through the little girls hair.

Skye looks up at Grant, silently asking him a question with her eyes. He gives her a smile and nods his head. Skye looks back down at Jessica, "Hey Jessie, mamá has something to tell you."

"¿Qué es?" Jessica asks.

"Well, in about nine months you're going to be a big sister," Skye smiles.

"¿De verdad?"

Skye nods her head, "Mm-hmm."

"Bueno," Jessica says simply, letting her head drop back down, her eyelids fluttering.

Grant just chuckles, "I think she'd probably be more excited about it if she wasn't half asleep."

"You're probably right," Skye says. "This is around nap time for her."

"Mamá, tengo hambre. Daddy didn't give me lunch," she lets out a yawn.

Skye turns and fixes Grant with a look.

He gives her a sheepish smile, "We were in a hurry after she got done with school and all I could think about was getting here to see you to make sure you were okay."

"Ben and I can take her down to the cafeteria and get her some food," Kara offers.

"That'd be great, Kara, thanks," Skye smiles. She looks down at Jessica, "Jess, baby, Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben are going to take you to go get something to eat, okay?"

Jessica nods her head and then turns towards Kara and smiles, "Hi, Auntie Kara. Hi, Uncle Ben."

"Hi, ladybug," Kara smiles down at her. "¿Tienes hambre?"

Jessica nods her head and then holds her arms out to the older woman.

Kara just smiles and shakes her head, lifting Jessica up off of the bed and settling her on her hip. "Grant, do you want anything?"

He shakes his head, "No, I'm good."

"Babe, you should probably eat something too," Skye tells him.

He sighs, "Fine." He looks up at Kara, "Just get me something small, please. Nothing too heavy."

"You got it," Kara nods her head and then makes her way out of the room and down towards the cafeteria, Ben following right behind her, one hand resting on her lower back.

Once they leave the room, May speaks up, "Was that Agent 33? The woman who used my face?"

"Her name is Kara, and she's Jessica's godmother," Skye replies.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this," Joey interjects.

"Secret family," Hunter pipes in. "She's had a secret family for about three and a half years now."

"Right," Joey nods. "So that ring I found last year when we were sparring was..."

"Actually my wedding ring," Skye nods.

"And when were you planning on telling any of the rest of us about all of this?" he asks Skye.

"Honestly? I don't know. I didn't really expect for it to happen like this, but I guess the cat's out of the bag. Now you guys know why I would leave every few months and why I always seemed so distant. But I think now is the perfect time to not be so distant anymore."

Grant looks at Skye with hope written all over his face, "Skye?"

She grabs his hand and nods her head with a small smile, "Mm-hmm, it's time."

"Time?" Coulson asks. "Time for what?"

"Time for me to go home...for good."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Now the entire team knows. And it turns out, May knew something was going on for a while. What a sneaky lady.
> 
> *Why is mommy here?  
> *I want to see mommy.  
> *Make him stop. Please.  
> *Did I hurt you, mommy? I'm sorry, I'm sorry.  
> *What is it?  
> *Really?
> 
> Alright, next chapter...will be the last. It'll be up on Saturday at some point during the day.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya!  
> This. Is. It. The. Final. Chapter. Of. This. Story. My goodness. Can't believe this story is already over. It's been such a ride with all of you. And I'm so thankful for all your love and support for this story. Means a lot. 
> 
> And now, here's the final chapter. It's a pretty long one. So enjoy.

"Jessica," Grant speaks up softly as he enters his daughter's bedroom. He walks over to her bed and kneels down so he's at eye level with her, "Jess, it's time to wake up now, angel."

Jessica's eyes slowly flutter open and she gives Grant a tired smile, "Hola papá."

"Hola, mija. Time to get up and get dressed for the day. And guess what?"

"¿Qué?"

"Mamá's coming home today...para siempre."

Jessica gasps and shoots up, "Mamá's coming home? ¿Para siempre?"

Grant smiles and nods, "Mm-hmm, para siempre. Now come on, let's get you dressed and then get some breakfast." He stands up and makes his way over to the dresser on the opposite side of the room.

Jessica climbs down out of her bed and darts over to the doggie bed sitting on the floor at the end of her bed. "Buddy!" she shouts, startling the dog. "Buddy, mamá's coming home! ¡Para siempre!" She hugs the dog around his neck and gives him a big kiss on the side of his face.

Grant chuckles at the scene and then speaks up, "Hey Jess, what do you want to wear today? I was thinking about some pants and a nice t-shirt. What do you think?"

Jessica shakes her head and walks over to him, "I wanna wear the dress mamá bought me. The pretty one."

"Isn't it a little cold for a dress?" he asks her.

Jessica shrugs, "Quiero llevarlo."

Grant chuckles, "Alright. But only if you wear some leggings to keep your little legs warm." He grabs the dress out of the drawer and then a pair of leggings, holding them up to show her. "¿Acuerdo?"

"Acuerdo," Jessica nods her head. She reaches up to take the clothes from him.

"Alright, while you get dressed I'll be out in the kitchen getting breakfast started. Come on, Buddy," he says to the dog, gesturing with his head to the door. The chocolate lab hops out of his bed and trots over to the door and into the hallway. Grant follows right behind him, making his way out to the kitchen.

As he's getting ready to start on breakfast he hears the front door open and close, followed by a bag being dropped on the carpet.

With a smile on his face, he makes his way out into the living room to see Skye looking down at her cell phone.

"Hey beautiful," he speaks up, drawing her attention right to him.

Skye looks up and grins when she sees him, "Hey handsome." She locks her phone and slides it into her back pocket.

Before either of them can say anything else, a high-pitched shriek of "¡Mamá!" interrupts them. They both turn their heads to see Jessica standing in the entrance to the hallway.

"Hey angel," Skye smiles at her daughter. "Come here," she stoops down and opens her arms up to the little girl. Skye stumbles a bit when Jessica launches herself into her arms, wrapping her small arms tightly around Skye's neck in a hug.

Skye regains her balance and stands up straight with Jessica still clinging to her and looks at Grant, giving him a small smile.

"Hey Jess," Grant speaks up, gaining his daughters attention.

"Yeah?"

"Think I can give mamá a hug and kiss too?"

"Sure," she nods. She slides down out of Skye's arms and makes her way into the kitchen towards Buddy.

Grant turns his attention to Skye and smiles lovingly down at her, "Hi."

She smiles back with just as much love in her eyes, "Hi."

Grant takes a few steps forward until he's right in front of Skye. He reaches out and wraps his arms around her waist to pull her closer. "I've missed you," he says quietly.

"I've missed you too. The both of you. That's why I'm really glad that I'm finally doing this, finally making my stay here permanent."

"Jess and I are pretty glad too," he smiles. "It's going to be so great having you here full time. Especially for Jess."

Skye nods, "I know. And since we're going to be adding another baby to the family in a few months, I think it's better that I stay here permanently anyways. Because, no offense, babe, but I really don't think you'd be able to handle dealing with a toddler, a newborn, _and_ a dog all on your own."

He shrugs, "I'd manage."

She smiles, "I'm sure you would. But this way I get to be there for all of the moments with the new baby that I missed with Jess because I was always away. This time I am here for good."

"I think I can get used to that," Grant smiles.

"Me too," Skye replies. "It's going to be so great being able to just be here with the two, soon to be three, of you and not have to worry about SHIELD."

"Speaking of SHIELD," Grant says. "Bobbi called me earlier before she got you from the hospital and apparently Coulson wants us all to get together for Thanksgiving."

"What?" Skye asks, her breath hitching.

Grant nods, "That was my reaction too. But I guess he wants the three of us to go there and spend some time with the team, or have them all come over here."

"Well I definitely wasn't expecting that."

"Neither was I," Grant says honestly. "But maybe this is actually a good thing. Maybe this means that they want to move past everything that's happened in the past and let go of all their grudges and whatnot."

"Even if they do, it doesn't mean that I'm going back to SHIELD."

"No one even suggested that," he tells her. "Besides, I don't think Jess would let you go back there without putting up some kind of a fight first."

"I'd expect nothing less from our little warrior," Skye smiles. "But I don't want to talk, or even _think,_ about SHIELD right now."

"Well then that's good," Grant says. "Because I was just getting ready to make some breakfast when you came in."

"Pancakes?" she asks.

"But of course," he smiles and nods.

"Then why are we still standing here?" She pulls out of the hug and makes her way into the kitchen.

Grant just chuckles quietly and follows after his wife, a smile plastered on his face.

* * *

"Are you really sure that you want them here?" Grant asks Skye as they sit on the couch in the living room. "Because we don't have to have them over, you know. We can always tell them to turn around and go back to their base and you, me, and Jess can have a nice Thanksgiving dinner just the three of us. I'm sure they'll all understand."

Skye shakes her head, "No. I want to do this. I mean, they're at least making an effort to not hate you anymore, right?"

Grant chuckles, "Yeah, I guess you could see it like that."

"And Thanksgiving is the time to be thankful for things, so I guess I should be thankful that they're making an effort to get to know this version of you that I know and love so much."

Grant smiles and nods, "Yeah. So how far away are they?"

Skye takes a deep breath, "Bobbi texted me a little while ago and said that they should be here within the hour."

"Good," Grant nods. "I guess we should make sure everything is ready then." He turns his head to look at their daughter playing on the living room floor, "You ready for everybody to come over, Jess?"

Jessica nods, "Sí. I wanna see Uncle Lance, and Aunt Bobbi, and Uncle Mack."

Grant smiles, "And I'm sure they want to see you too, angel." He looks over at his wife, "You want me to get her dressed?"

Skye shakes her head, "No, I'll do it." She stands from the couch and lifts Jessica off of the floor, settling her on her hip.

"Mamá, do they wanna meet Bug and Buddy?" Jessica asks as Skye walks down the hallway.

"I'm sure they do, baby." She steps inside the bedroom, setting Jessica down on the floor. "Now, let's get you dressed before everybody gets here."

Jessica tosses Bug onto her bed and then begins pulling at her pajamas.

Skye smiles at her daughter, "Do you want me to help you?"

"No thanks," Jessica tells her. "Yo puedo hacerlo."

"Alright," Skye smiles, moving over to the dresser to find clothes for her daughter to wear. "I think this is a pretty cute outfit," Skye says to her daughter, pulling out a pair of jean shorts, a white tank top, and a small red flannel button up shirt. She holds them up for Jessica to see, "Do you want to wear this?"

"Sí por favor," Jessica nods.

"Good," Skye smiles. "Here you go."

"Gracias," Jessica smiles back, taking the clothes from her mom.

"You're welcome, baby. I'm going to go out and see if daddy needs any help with the food while you get dressed."

"Okay," Jessica says, sitting down on the carpet of her bedroom to pull on her shorts.

Skye just smiles at the sight before making her way out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen. "Do you need any help?"

Grant looks up to see Skye entering the kitchen and he smiles at her, "No, thanks. I got it."

"Alright," Skye nods, pulling herself up onto a stool at the counter. "I am really looking forward to eating this turkey," Skye tells her husband. "It smells so delicious already."

Grant gives her a look, "I haven't even put it in the oven yet, Skye. I'm still getting it seasoned."

Skye shrugs, "I know that."

"Mamá, I'm all dressed," Jessica announces her presence into the kitchen.

"Good girl," Skye smiles. "Did you put your pajamas in your hamper?"

Jessica nods, "Mm-hmm." She turns towards Grant, "Daddy, ¿puedo ayudarle?"

Grant smiles down at her, "I would love for you to help me, Jess. Go grab your stool."

Skye's jaw drops and she just stares at Grant, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"What?" Grant asks.

"I literally _just_ asked you if you needed any help and you said no."

Grant shrugs, "Jess is my little helper. The best little helper in the entire world."

Jessica pushes her stool up against the counter and climbs up onto it, "Estoy listo."

"Well then," Skye says, "while you two work on the food, I am going to go and watch some TV. This baby is already exhausting me." She slides down off of the stool and walks back into the living room, making herself comfortable on the couch.

...

The sound of keys jangling in the lock to the front door makes Jessica lift her head quickly and turn towards it. She remains in her spot on the living room floor as she waits for the door to open.

"Uncle Lance! Aunt Bobbi! Uncle Mack!" Jessica shouts when the three agents step through the door, the rest of the team right behind them.

Jessica jumps up from her spot on the living room floor and darts across the room towards Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack, Buddy trailing right behind her and sending small barks at the rest of the team. Jessica immediately jumps up into Bobbi's awaiting arms, hugging the older woman with a large smile on her face.

"Hi, Jess," Bobbi smiles, returning the hug.

"Oi! Where's my hug at?" Hunter asks.

Jessica pulls away from Bobbi and reaches out for Hunter, hugging him tightly as well. "Lo siento, Uncle Lance."

"It's alright, squirt," Hunter smiles.

Jessica pulls back and smiles at him, "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving to you, too."

Jessica turns towards Mack, leaning out of Hunter's arms.

Mack happily takes her into his arms, holding her gently and smiles at her, "Hey, Jess. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Uncle Mack," she smiles back at him.

"Buddy," Skye speaks up as she enters the room, getting the dogs' attention. "Knock it off. Go to your bed," she points in the direction of the hallway. The dog pauses for a moment before moving down the hallway.

"Mamá, did Buddy get in trouble?" Jessica asks, still being held by Mack.

Skye shakes her head, "Not really. I just don't want him to get too riled up and get in the way of everyone."

"Oh, okay."

Skye smiles politely at the rest of the team, "Hey, guys. Come on in and have a seat," she gestures to the couches and chairs. "Jessie, come here, please," she directs to her daughter.

Jessica looks over at Hunter, "Hold Bug for me?" She holds her ladybug doll out to him.

"It would be my pleasure," he smiles, taking the doll from her. "I'll protect Bug with my life," he says seriously. "No harm will come to her on my watch."

Jessica giggles and then slides down out of Mack's arms and goes over to her mom. "Hola, mamá," she smiles up at Skye.

Skye smiles back down at her, "Hi, baby. Daddy and I want to introduce you to everybody, okay?"

Jessica nods, "Okay." She turns around and leans back against Skye's legs.

Skye places a hand on Jessica's shoulder, her other arm snaking around Grant's waist, taking comfort and strength in his presence next to her. She looks at the team that's now sitting on the couches and chairs in the living room, "Everybody, this is mine and Grant's daughter Jessica."

"I'm three," Jessica cuts in.

Grant chuckles, "Yes you are, angel."

"Jessie," Skye smiles down at her daughter, "these are some of the people that mamá used to work with. Over there is Coulson, my old boss."

Jessica frowns, "He was mean to daddy at the hospital."

"Yes he was," Skye nods.

Jessica crosses her tiny arms in front of her chest and looks over at Coulson, "No me gusta usted. Eres un hombre promedio."

"Jessica Katherine," Grant says sternly. "You apologize to Coulson right now."

"But daddy..."

"No buts," Grant shakes his head. "Pedir disculpas. Ahora. En inglés."

Jessica huffs and then looks over at Coulson, "Sorry."

"Thank you," Grant nods.

"Continuing," Skye says, drawing her daughters' attention again, "next to Coulson is May. Of course you know Mack."

"Uncle Mack," Jessica interrupts her.

"Right, my bad," Skye nods. "Next to Uncle Mack is Elena, but we like to call her YoYo."

Jessica giggles, "That's a funny name."

"Yes it is," Skye smiles. "Next to YoYo is Joey, and then Alisha and Lincoln. Next to Lincoln is Fitz and then Simmons. And you already know Bobbi and Hunter."

"Aunt Bobbi and Uncle Lance," Jessica corrects her mom again.

"Right, sorry," Skye smiles. "So that's everybody. Well, not everybody, exactly, but that's everyone that I'm really close with."

"¿Mamá?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"When's dinner?"

Skye laughs quietly, running a hand across her daughter's head, "Not for a while yet, angel. It's still pretty early for dinner. But why don't you go get to know everyone else, okay? Maybe you can introduce them all to Bug."

"She's still sleeping," Jessica says. "She's being lazy."

"Well then when she wakes up you can show her to everybody."

Jessica thinks and then nods, "Okay. Can I go play with Aunt Bobbi and Uncle Lance now?"

Skye smiles, "Of course you can."

Jessica smiles and then walks over to where Hunter and Bobbi are sitting, climbing up onto the space of couch between them, immediately engaging them in conversation.

"Skye."

Skye turns her head to see May approaching her and Grant. "May," she gives a small nod of her head.

"She's beautiful," May remarks, glancing over at Jessica. "I didn't get the chance to tell you that at the hospital."

"Thanks," Skye smiles.

"She looks a lot like you."

"That's what I keep telling her," Grant speaks up. "From the moment she was born I knew Jess was going to look so much like Skye. She even wants to dress like her now too."

May nods, "She is going to be a very beautiful young woman when she gets older."

"Yes she is," Grant nods. "And Hunter, Mack, and Ben have already agreed to help me keep the boys away from her."

Skye rolls her eyes, "Gosh, babe, you are such a caveman."

"Ben is the man that was at the hospital, right?" May asks.

Skye nods, "Yeah. He's Kara's boyfriend. Though I think he's going to ask her to marry him soon. You can just tell by the way he looks at her that he's completely head over heels for her. Kind of like how this guy over here looks at me," she pats Grant's chest.

Grant smiles down at his wife, "Truer words have never been spoken."

"¡Mamá!" Jessica shouts from where she's sitting on the couch playing with Bobbi and Hunter.

Skye looks over at her daughter, "Yeah, angel?"

"I wanna show Uncle Lance and Aunt Bobbi and Uncle Mack my gymastics."

"You do, do you?"

Jessica nods, "Uh-huh. Outside on my gym."

"It's too cold outside, baby," Skye tells her.

Jessica frowns, "Pero yo quiero."

"You heard your mom," Grant says. "It's too cold outside. You'll just have to do it inside. You can show them your tumbling on the carpet."

Jessica thinks for a moment and then nods her head, "Okay." She looks at Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack, "I'll be back. I hafta change." She slides down off of the couch and makes her way towards the hallway.

"Do you need some help changing, Jess?" Skye asks her daughter.

Jessica shakes her head, "No thanks." She continues down the hallway and into her room.

"Grant, I don't think I like how independent she's getting," Skye says to her husband.

Grant chuckles quietly, "I know you don't. But that's what happens. And besides, next year we'll have a new kid who will depend on us for everything."

Skye sighs, "I know. But I still don't like it. It honestly makes me a little sad."

"She's getting older," May speaks up. "I may not have had any kids of my own, but I know that this is a good thing she's wanting to be so independent at a young age. It's good for her development."

"I think it also has to do with the fact that she's in preschool now," Skye says. "And they're all about kids being independent."

"It's definitely been interesting around here with Jess becoming more and more independent," Grant says. "Obviously there are things she still needs help with, but for the most part she does what she can on her own. She even tries to take care of Buddy on her own too. It's very cute."

"!Mamá! ¡Necesito ayuda! I need help!" Jessica shouts as she runs into the living room, her gymnastics leotard only halfway on her body.

"Jessica!" Skye exclaims, quickly reaching out and pulling her daughter to her. "What are you doing?" she asks the three year old.

Jessica shrugs, "I got stuck."

Hunter snickers quietly, ducking his head as he smiles.

Skye sighs, "Alright, hold on." She grabs hold of her daughters arm and helps her put her leotard on correctly. "There you go, angel," she smiles. "You're all set. Now you can show Uncle Lance, Aunt Bobbi, and Uncle Mack what you've been working on."

"Okay. Gracias, mamá."

"You're welcome, baby," Skye smiles.

Jessica moves over to the center of the living room floor, turning to face the people on the couches. "Mírame," she says to the three agents.

"We're watching, Jess," Bobbi replies.

Jessica takes a deep breath and then begins her tumbling moves, rolling and flipping all across the carpet.

When she finishes, she stands up straight and raises both hands high in the air, a wide smile on her face.

"You were so good, Jess," Bobbi smiles at the little girl.

"Gracias," Jessica smiles.

"Well I think you were excellent," Hunter smiles at Jessica. "Absolutely incredible."

"Thanks," she smiles back.

"You're welcome, squirt."

"Wow, Jess," Mack speaks up, "you're getting really good with all of that."

"Thanks," she smiles over at him. "Miss Nancy says I'm the best."

"She never said that, Jess," Skye tells her daughter. "She said you were _one_ of the best."

"Ian says I'm the best," Jessica says back.

"That's because, like your father, Ian doesn't like to see you sad. Ian's our neighbor," Skye supplies to the rest of the team. "He and Jess are about a week apart with their birthdays, they became really fast friends after their first play date."

"Ian's my best friend," Jessica smiles "Mi mejor amigo."

"It's always nice to have a best friend," Alisha smiles at the little girl.

Jessica nods, "Yeah." She turns towards Grant and Skye, "Mamá, can Ian come over and play?"

Skye shakes her head, "Sorry, baby girl. Ian and his family went of town, remember? But when they get back I'll call Kendra, okay?"

"Okay. Do I hafta change again?" she asks her mom, pointing to her leotard.

Skye purses her lips in thought for a moment, "No, I suppose you don't. Just go and put some pants or leggings on, okay?"

Jessica nods, "Okay." She turns around and makes her way back down the hallway towards her room.

"Your daughter is very talented," YoYo speaks up with a small smile.

"Thanks," Skye smiles back. "She absolutely loves her gymnastics class. I'm really glad that Grant suggested putting her in an activity during the afternoons after preschool."

"I also suggested karate," Grant adds. "But Skye felt more comfortable with the idea of Jess doing gymnastics."

"It just seems a whole lot safer, to me, for a three year old to be rolling around on a mat instead of having people aim punches at her face."

"Maybe when she's a little older then," Grant says.

Skye pats him on the chest, "We'll see about that, babe. I make no promises."

...

"Wow, this turkey is really, _really_ good," Alisha speaks up from her spot at the kitchen table.

"It's an old family recipe," Skye replies from her spot at one end of the table. "And when I say that I mean that it belonged to Grant's grandmother."

"Gramsy was the best cook I ever knew," Grant smiles at the thought of his late grandmother.

"Well she definitely knew her way around a taste palette," Joey says from his spot up at the counter.

"If you think this turkey is good, you should try his burgers," Hunter comments. "Those things are incredible, absolutely cooked to perfection."

"Daddy's the best cook en todo el mundo entero," Jessica smiles from her place at the table next to Skye.

"Thanks for the praise, Jess," Grant smiles from the other end of the table. "But I wouldn't be anywhere without my amazing helper."

"¡Ese soy yo!" Jessica beams. "I'm daddy's helper."

"Yes you are," Skye laughs and nods. "Now eat your dinner, please."

"Okay," Jessica nods and turns her attention back to her plate of food.

"So," Simmons speaks up after a minute of silence, turning her attention to Grant and Skye, "you said at the hospital that you two are...married?"

Skye smiles and nods, "Mm-hmm. It'll actually be our second anniversary on New Years."

"You guys got married on New Years?" Alisha asks.

"Yeah, we did."

"It was a really nice ceremony," Bobbi interjects from Jessica's other side. "Short but sweet. They kissed right as the clock struck midnight," she smiles over at her two friends.

"Kissing's gross," Jessica inputs her thoughts into the conversation.

"Is it now?" Grant looks at his daughter.

Jessica nods, "Yeah. Ian says so too."

"Well if you think kissing is so gross then daddy and I will have to stop giving you goodnight kisses," Skye says. "We'll just save all of our goodnight kisses for the new baby and you won't get any more of them."

Jessica tilts her head in thought for a minute and then speaks, "Me and the new baby can share goodnight kisses."

Skye smiles and laughs quietly, "Sounds like a plan." She turns her attention back to the group, "But yeah, we got engaged on Halloween and then married on New Years."

"How did you ask her?" Joey directs at Grant.

Grant chuckles, "You're asking the wrong person here."

Joey furrows his brows, "What do you mean?"

" _I_ asked _him_ ," Skye supplies with a small smile. "We had already put Jess to bed after trick-or-treating and we were watching a movie on TV while...examining Jess' candy. We were just talking and then he gave me this look that just made me completely melt and I asked him right then and there to marry me."

"Obviously I said yes," Grant smiles. "On Thanksgiving she decided on us having a New Years wedding, so we got married when the clock struck midnight out in the backyard with all of our neighbors there, as well as Bobbi and Hunter."

"That's so romantic," Alisha smiles.

"It was pretty romantic," Skye smiles over at her husband. "One of the best days of my life."

"Aunt Bobbi!" Jessica shouts from her spot, gaining the older agent's attention.

"Yeah Jess?" Bobbi looks over at her.

"Did you get mamá's pictures of my pageant?"

"I did," Bobbi nods with a small smile. "You looked so great and I'm sure you did a really good job."

"You were in a pageant?" Simmons asks the little girl. She looks over at Skye, "I honestly never thought you'd be the type to put your child in a beauty pageant."

"It wasn't a beauty pageant," Skye shakes her head. "It was for school."

"I'm in preschool," Jessica says proudly with a smile before scooping some mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"Yes you are, baby girl," Skye smiles. She looks back up at the team, "Jess' school put on a Thanksgiving pageant for family and friends. Grant and I went and watched it, it was very cute."

"Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben too," Jessica adds.

"Right," Skye nods. "Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben were there too. And they both think you were awesome."

"I love Auntie Kara and Uncle Ben," Jessica smiles.

"I know you do, angel," Skye smiles back. "And they love you too. Now finish your dinner, please."

"Okay," Jessica turns back to her dinner and scoops some more mashed potatoes into her mouth with a small smile on her face.

...

"Mamá," Jessica speaks up from her place sitting on the floor playing with Bug and a few of her toys, "Quiero ver _Mulan_."

"What's this I hear about _Mulan_?" Hunter asks as he walks into the room from the bathroom.

"Jess just said she wants to watch it," Grant explains.

"Well you can count me in on that," he says.

"Wait wait wait," Alisha speaks up, "You're actually volunteering to watch _Mulan_ with her? Isn't that a kids' movie?"

Hunter shrugs, "I like it. And you can blame the little squirt for getting me hooked on it. Every time Bobbi, Mack, and I come over here Jess makes me watch it with her."

"You make it sound like you don't like watching it with her," Skye says. "When in fact, you will jump at the opportunity to watch that movie with her. Just like you are right now."

"I'm not denying that," Hunter says.

Skye smiles and looks over at her daughter, "Jessie, guess what?"

"What?"

"Uncle Lance is going to watch _Mulan_ with you."

Jessica's eyes go wide and she turns towards Hunter, "Really?"

He smiles and nods his head, "Of course. Want me to go grab the movie?"

"It's in the DVD player in mine and Grant's room," Skye tells him. "We watched it in there after her nap the other day and I never got around to actually putting it away."

Hunter chuckles, "Alright." He looks down at Jessica, "I'll be right back, Jess." He turns and makes his way out of the living room and down the hall towards Grant and Skye's room.

"I take it she likes Mulan," Simmons speaks up.

"'Like' is a bit of an understatement," Skye laughs quietly. "She's pretty much obsessed. It can be a little much sometimes, to be honest, but I guess I should just be thankful that she's obsessed with Mulan and not something that's completely annoying."

"Yes, thank goodness for that," Grant nods in agreement.

"Alright, I have the movie," Hunter says as he makes his way back into the room, holding the DVD in his hand. He looks over at Jessica, "Are you ready to watch it?"

Jessica grins and nods, "Yeah. We're gonna sing so loud."

"Of course we're going to sing loud," Lance tells the little girl. "We always do."

"Siempre cantamos," Jessica smiles.

Hunter smiles, "I guess I'll put the movie in, then. Go hop up onto the couch."

Jessica smiles back and then stands from the floor and jumps up onto the empty couch.

"Oh I'm just _dying_ to hear Hunter sing along to a Disney movie," Joey chuckles.

"Aunt Bobbi! Uncle Mack!" Jessica shouts, looking towards the dining room. "Come watch too!"

Bobbi smiles and stands from her seat, "We're coming, sweetie." Mack follows behind her.

"Hey, mind if I join in?" Joey speaks up to Jessica. "I don't think I've actually seen this one. Or it's just been a really long time since I have."

Jessica gasps, "Really? It's awesome! ¡Es increíble!"

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it for the time being," he says, standing from his chair and moving into the living room. He sits down next to her on the couch, "Jessica, ¿cuanto español conoces?"

"Mucho," she tells him. "Papá me está enseñando. Desde que era un bebé."

"Impresionante," Joey smiles. "Tu español es muy bueno para ser sólo tres años de edad."

"Gracias. Siempre hablamos en español. Mamá no entiende mucho."

"I may not understand it completely or really be able to speak it like you and your father, but I've picked up a few words and phrases," Skye says to her daughter. "So I'd be very careful in the years to come, young lady."

"Alright," Hunter says as he walks over to the couch, "the movie is in and all ready to be viewed." He looks down at the couch and holds his arms out, "Well where am I going to sit?"

"Right here," Jessica tells him, standing up on the couch. "I'll sit in your lap."

"Works for me," Hunter smiles. He lifts Jessica off of the couch and sits down, pulling her down into his lap. Jessica snuggles back against his chest, setting Bug in her lap facing the TV. Hunter lifts the remote up, presses play, and then leans back into the couch as the opening credits begin to play.

"So, how are you feeling, Skye?" Simmons speaks up, pulling Skye's attention away from her daughter. She gestures to her friend's stomach.

Skye leans back in her chair and rests one hand on her still flat stomach, smiling down at it. She looks back up at Simmons, "Pretty good, actually. I'm really hoping I don't throw up as much as I did with Jess."

"Aren't you supposed to throw up a lot when you're pregnant?" Alisha asks.

Skye shakes her head, "All pregnancies are different. I threw up a lot with Jess. So far this baby hasn't been giving me as much trouble, so I'm kind of hoping that means he or she will be a pretty easy going baby."

"I'm sure they will be," Grant assures her.

"When do you find out what you're having?" Fitz asks.

"Not for a while yet," Skye tells him. "I'm not due until the summer so it's still too early to see if the baby is a boy or a girl."

"What are you hoping for?" Alisha asks.

"Honestly? I don't think I really care either way, as long as the baby is happy and healthy. However, I think it'd be nice to have a boy so I get one of each. But I also think it'd be fun to have another little girl. And I'm sure Jess would love having a little sister."

"Personally," Grant cuts in, "I think another mini you would be perfect."

Skye smiles, "Of course you would say that."

"Lincoln," Coulson speaks up to the blonde Inhuman in the room. "You've been awfully quiet since we arrived. I know you were somewhat reluctant on coming with us, but you've barely said anything the whole time we've been here."

Lincoln shrugs, "When you don't have anything nice to say, right?"

Skye sighs, "Lincoln, please don't be like this."

"Well it's kind of hard not to be," he says back. "You told me we couldn't be together but you never really gave me a reason as to why. I said I was fine with it because I figured you just needed some time and eventually you'd come around and give us another shot. And now I know the real reason why. It's because of him," he fixes Grant with a hard glare.

"I'm not going to deny that, because it's true," Skye tells him. "But please don't act like this. The night's almost over and I'd really like it if you at least _tried_ to be okay with this. Not that we're looking for your approval or anything, because we don't need it. But you're my friend, Lincoln, and it's been three years since I ended things between us; I really thought you'd be over it by now."

Lincoln just remains quiet and Skye sighs.

"Relax, Skye," Grant says to his wife, rubbing one hand up and down her back. "You know it isn't good for the baby if you get stressed out. And you also know that you can't force someone to be okay with me and you being together. If he doesn't want to accept it, then that's his problem to deal with. Just let him come to terms with it on his own time."

"Hey, why don't you just shut up, alright?" Lincoln snaps. "I don't need anybody trying to stand up for or defend me. Especially not you, you damn traitor."

"Agent Campbell," Coulson says sternly. "That's enough."

"Daddy? ¿Está todo bien?"

Grant looks over to see Jessica looking at him. He gives her a small smile and nods, "Yeah, angel. Everything's okay. You just watch your movie."

She just looks at him for a moment, her eyes quickly flicking over to Lincoln before she turns back around and settles on the movie once again.

Skye takes a deep, calming breath before focusing her attention on the blonde Inhuman, "Lincoln, you may be a very good friend of mine, but if you _ever_ speak like that to or about my husband again then you can sure as hell bet that our friendship will be over without a second thought."

Lincoln scoffs, "Whatever." He stands up from his seat, "I need some air." He turns around and makes his way to the front door and then outside onto the porch.

"Shouldn't someone go and talk to him?" Grant asks.

Skye shakes her head, "No, he just needs to cool off. He's always had a bit of a temper, so this really isn't anything new."

"And you were with him?" Grant asks, raising an eyebrow.

Skye rolls her eyes, "Don't go getting jealous, babe. I told you before that we were barely even in a relationship. Besides, that was years ago and I'm with you now."

"I know you are. And I'm not jealous. I just don't like the fact that you were with a guy who could lose his temper so easily, something could have happened if he was ever pushed too far."

She places a hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes, "But nothing did happen, okay? He got pretty upset once but he never laid a hand on me. I'm perfectly fine, I'm married to you, and we have our own little family. So don't worry about the past, alright?"

He gives her a smile, "You're right." He leans forward and gives her a gentle kiss on the lips.

Skye smiles against his lips and then pulls back, "I love you."

"I love you too."

...

"Hey, Skye."

Skye turns her head to look over at Hunter, "Yeah?"

"Your kid's asleep. Like, passed out completely." He glances down at Jessica who's sitting in his lap with her head resting on his chest and her feet up in Bobbi's lap, completely asleep. He looks back up at Skye, "What do you want me to do?"

"Just give me a minute and I'll go put her to bed," Skye tells him.

"I can do it for you," Bobbi speaks up.

Skye shakes her head, "Oh, I couldn't ask you to—"

"It's no big deal, really," Bobbi tells her.

Skye smiles, "Great. Um, her pajamas are in the second drawer of her dresser, just put her in whatever, it doesn't really matter. And I'm pretty sure Buddy is still in there; do not let him climb in her bed, he has his own."

Bobbi nods, "Got it." She carefully shifts Jessica's legs so that she can stand from the couch and then lifts the little girl into her arms.

Jessica immediately curls against Bobbi. "Bobbi," she mumbles, her eyelids fluttering.

Bobbi smiles down at her, "Yeah, kiddo, it's me. It's time to go put you to bed. Say goodnight to your mom and dad."

Jessica's head lolls to one side, "Buenas noches."

Grant smiles, "Buenas noches, mija."

"Goodnight, baby girl," Skye smiles at her daughter.

"Mamá, canta para mí, por favor," Jessica says sleepily.

"Not tonight, baby girl," Skye says back. "But I promise tomorrow night I'll sing you two songs. Sound good?"

"Sí," Jessica nods.

"Alright," Skye smiles. "I love you, sleep tight."

"I'll be right back," Bobbi tells the group as she makes her way down the hallway, making sure to grab Bug off of the floor on her way.

"She speaks Spanish even when she's half asleep?" Joey asks.

"Mm-hmm," Skye nods.

"Kara calls it her default setting," Grant chuckles. "Sometimes when she's really excited or sad she'll repeat what she says in English in Spanish. And when she wakes up in the morning she usually speaks in Spanish too."

"That's adorable," Simmons smiles.

"It is pretty cute," Skye smiles. "My little bilingual baby."

"Pretty soon she'll be a multilingual baby," Grant says. "She said she wants to start learning Italian soon. I'm thinking sometime next year, maybe in the summer after school lets out. It'll give us more time to focus on it because she won't be in school."

"She actually wants to learn more languages?" Alisha asks.

Skye nods, "Yep. She wants to be just like her daddy in that aspect." She smiles up at Grant.

"And I definitely don't mind that," he replies. "Gives us something to bond over."

"And I love seeing the two of you bond over your love for languages," Skye smiles at him. "It's very sweet."

"Okay," Bobbi breathes out as she enters the living room once again, "Jess is in bed and sound asleep." She falls back down onto the couch between Hunter and Mack.

"Thanks, Bobbi," Skye smiles over at her.

Bobbi waves her off, "Like I said, it was no problem. She looks so cute when she's asleep. Almost makes you forget how much energy she has when she's actually awake," Bobbi smiles.

Skye laughs and nods, "Yes, it definitely does do that. She didn't give you any trouble while you were putting her to bed, did she?"

Bobbi shakes her head, "Nope. Though I'm pretty sure she was too tired to put up any kind of a struggle."

"Good to know," Skye nods. "I'm glad she didn't put up a struggle. I'd hate for you to have to deal with that."

"Even if she did, it would have been good practice for me."

Skye gasps, "Oh my goodness! Are you...?"

Bobbi smiles and shakes her head, "No, I'm not." She takes a deep breath and glances at Hunter, "But we've been talking about it. And I'm not completely opposed to the idea."

"I may be a little biased because I'm a dad," Grant speaks up, "but I definitely think that you should. I see how you two are with Jess and that leads me to believe you'll be great parents if that's something you decide to do. Being a parent is definitely tough, and it's something I never thought I'd be good at, but it definitely has its rewards. I know I'm not the perfect dad, no parent is perfect, but in your kids' eyes, you are. And that's probably the greatest feeling in the entire world."

Skye looks up at him with tears shining in her eyes, "How is it that you are always able to say the most amazing things?"

Grant shrugs, "It's a gift."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure it's that amazing gift of yours that got me pregnant again. Or do you not remember Halloween?"

"No I remember. I was just under the impression that it was because of my body," he smirks.

She gives him a small smile, "It was a combination of the two."

"I'm sure it was," he smiles, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Alright," Coulson speaks up, "I think we should all take a cue from Jessica. It's getting pretty late so we should probably head out now."

Skye looks up at the clock on the wall, "Oh wow. I didn't even realize the time." She looks back at the team, "The drive back to base is a few hours; you shouldn't be driving so late. There's a motel not far from here that you guys can stay at for the night. Bobbi, Hunter, and Mack know where it is."

"It's actually a pretty decent place for being a motel," Hunter tells the group. "I've stayed in far worse ones."

"I'm sure there are a few rooms available," Skye tells them. "There usually is. So you guys should be good to go."

"Then I guess that's what we'll do," May says. "We won't need too many rooms since some of you," she looks at the team, "already share a room back at base." She looks at Coulson, "Let's go."

He nods, "Right." He looks at Skye, "Thank you for letting us come by."

She gives him a small smile, "Thank you for trying to understand."

"Well there's not much to try and understand. You're happy with him. All I want is for you to be happy, Skye. I'm a little sad that you won't be at SHIELD anymore, but I understand. I think we all do to some degree."

"Yes," YoYo nods from her place next to Mack. "It is true love."

"True love?" Grant questions. "That sounds like something out of one of Jess' princess movies."

"I think it's a sweet idea," Skye smiles. She looks up at her husband, "True love prevails over all else."

"It is a very nice idea," he smiles back at her, leaning down to give her a quick kiss.

She smiles at him before looking back at the team. She takes a deep breath, "Well, you guys should probably get going before it gets too late. Like I said, the motel isn't too far from here. Also," she looks at Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack, "you three better come by tomorrow morning before you leave to say bye to Jess. She'll be crushed if you guys leave without saying goodbye to her."

"Well we wouldn't want that," Mack says. "We'll make sure to stop by."

"Great," Skye smiles. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes," Bobbi nods. She steps forward and pulls Skye into a hug, "Thanks for having us over."

"No problem," Skye replies. They pull from the hug and Skye smiles at her friend, "You know that you three are always more than welcome here." She looks at the rest of the team, "Same goes for all of you. Just as long as you let us know you're coming by first. Now that Jess has met and spent time with you guys, she's probably going to want to see you again."

"Well we'll be sure to come by every once in a while, maybe for her birthday when it comes around again," Coulson says. "It's in March, right?"

Skye nods, "Yeah. March 25th. She's going to be four."

Coulson gives her a small smile, "Then I guess we'll see you in March. Besides, it seems like I have a few years of spoiling to make up for."

"Oh goodness," Skye groans inwardly. "I should have known," she laughs quietly. She steps forward and pulls him into a hug. "Thank you for trying to be okay with this," she whispers into his ear.

Coulson pulls back and looks at her, "Like I said, I just want you to be happy. And if Ward makes you happy, then I think I can learn to live with that."

"Thank you." She looks at the rest of the team, "You guys should probably be going now before it gets any later so you can get a decent amount of sleep before heading back to the base."

"I know it's probably a long shot," Simmons speaks up, "but is there any chance you'd consider coming back to SHIELD at some point?"

Skye smiles sadly and shakes her head, "No, I don't think so. My life is here now. I could have died on that last mission if I landed any differently, and then Jess would have had to grown up without her mother. I don't want to risk anything like that ever happening again."

Simmons nods, "I understand. I knew it wasn't likely, but I had to ask. And even though this whole situation is a little hard to wrap my head around and is going to take some time being okay with it, I _am_ happy for you, Skye. You have a family and I know that's something you've always wanted that."

"Thanks," Skye smiles.

"Alright," May speaks up. "Let's all get going."

"Right," Skye nods. "Thanks again for coming, guys."

"Thanks for having us here, Tremors," Mack gives her a smile.

She smiles back up at him.

May quietly ushers everyone out the door until it's just her. She turns to look at Skye, "You've done really well for yourself, Skye. That little girl is very lucky to have you as her mother."

"Thanks, May," Skye smiles.

"And Ward."

"Yes?" Grant steps up right next to Skye, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"If you ever even _think_ about hurting either one of them, or that new baby, you'll be answering to me. Understood?"

"Loud and clear," Grant nods with a small hint of a smile on his face.

"Good," May nods once. "Happy Thanksgiving," she says simply and then turns around to make her way down the porch and towards the two SUV's in the driveway.

Skye sends a quick wave to Bobbi and Hunter sitting in the front of the car closest to them before closing the front door.

She lets out a breath as she leans back against the door, closing her eyes.

"You okay?"

Cracking one eye open, she finds Grant standing in front of her with a small smile on his face.

She nods, "Yeah, I'm fine." She brushes a few strands of hair out of her face. "I just think today felt a whole lot longer than it actually was."

"I'm sure it did," he says, taking a few steps towards her and placing his hands on her hips. He pulls her close and slides his arms around her to wrap her in a hug.

Skye hugs him back, burying her face in his chest. "It went better than I thought it would, though," she says after a minute.

"Yeah?"

She nods her head against him, "Yeah." She leans back to look at him, "I'm glad that everyone is doing their best to understand that this is my life now. That you, Jess, and the new baby mean everything to me."

"I'm glad too," he smiles. "Now, why don't you go and get ready for bed while I clean up a little from dinner. Then I'll come in and join you."

She nods, "Yeah, okay."

He smiles, dropping a kiss to her forehead before turning and making his way towards the kitchen.

Skye takes a deep breath and then makes her way down the hallway, stopping briefly at Jessica's room to check on the toddler, finding her fast asleep in her bed. She smiles at the sight, presses a kiss to her daughters' forehead and then closes the door as she leaves the room.

She goes across the hallway to hers and Grant's room, crossing over to the dresser to pull out some pajamas. She quickly changes into a pair of shorts and a tank top, pulling her hair down and running her fingers through it to get out any knots or tangles.

"I love it when you have your hair down, did you know that?"

She turns her head to see Grant leaning against the doorframe.

She smiles at him, "Hey."

"Hey," he smiles back. He pushes off of the frame and walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder. "I love you," he says against her skin.

"I love you too."

"And I love this life we've made for ourselves. It's better than I ever imagined it would be."

"Well I'm glad," she smiles. "Being here with you and Jess, and pretty soon the new baby, is everything I didn't know I actually wanted."

"Me too," he smiles. "Now come on, let's get to bed." he pulls away from her and moves over to the dresser while she moves to the bed. He strips down out of his jeans, throws them into the laundry hamper, and then pulls on a pair of black sweat pants. He turns around and smiles at the sight of Skye lying on her side in the bed, the covers pulled up under her arms.

Walking over to the bed, he pulls the covers of his side back and climbs in, Skye immediately curling up into his side.

"Comfortable?" he asks when she finishes moving around.

She nods against him, "Mm-hmm."

"Good," he drops a kiss to her head. "Now go to sleep." He wraps his arms around her and holds her close as he closes his eyes.

"Grant?" she speaks up after a minute of silence.

"Hmm?"

"I love you. Like, I really _really_ love you," she tells him in a half-asleep state. "Even though a lot of what happened between us completely sucked, I don't think I would trade a second of it. Because it made us who we are now. And I like who we are. And I know the real you, and he's way better than anything I could have imagined."

He smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before settling back against his pillow. "I like who we are too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's over. This story is complete. Thank you all so much for your favorites, follows, and reviews. It's all been very much appreciated. Sad for this story to be ending, but it had a really good run. :)
> 
> *Forever  
> *I want to wear it.  
> *Agreed  
> *I can do it.  
> *Can I help you?  
> *I'm ready.  
> *I don't like you. You are a mean man.  
> *Apologize. Now. In English.  
> *But I want to.  
> *In the entire world.  
> *That's me!  
> *I want to watch Mulan  
> *We always sing.  
> *It's incredible.  
> *How much Spanish do you know?  
> *A lot. Daddy is teaching me. Since I was a baby.  
> *Impressive. Your Spanish is very good for only being three years old.  
> *Thanks. We always speak in Spanish. Mommy doesn't understand much.  
> *Is everything okay?  
> *Goodnight.  
> *Mommy, sing for me, please.
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!

**Author's Note:**

> So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd really love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> Show of hands, who's excited for this story? Because I certainly am. The entire thing is already written so hopefully there won't be too much lag during updates.
> 
> Also, if anyone is interested, I'm working on a special project for Brett and Chloe and I need all the help I can get. Thanks. :)
> 
> Until next time,  
> Jellybean96 out!


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